Bonne Nuit
by Yukitarina
Summary: When Degel met Camus. Chapter eight is updated.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello…me again… TT With this I want to ask for everybody's apologize, maybe I won't continue _Lost in a Dream… _TT You know, there are a lot of things which drain my energies right now, most are my job and writing my original stories (after the fatal writer's block which caused me unable to write original stories anymore…) That's why…for now I can't deal with fanfiction which needs thorough mythological research. But don't worry, I still can work on humor and drama, such as Thirty Hugs and this story. So here it is, I hope you can enjoy it. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own SS characters

**Bonne Nuit**

**One**

**Eighteen Century**

The long purple hair was caressed by the breeze of the wind as the owner ran down happily through the stairs in Sanctuary. The generosity of her heart was reflected by her radiant visage. Her green eyes sparkled when seeing that her destination has been quite close.

"Finally," she said after passing Pisces temple. She made her move faster, until finally she stopped as she entered the eleventh house.

"Good morning, Degel," greeted Sasha, smiling to see that Degel was, in his Gold Cloth, fixing the order of the books in his luxurious shelves.

Degel turned his head, and his eyes widened in welcoming surprise seeing his goddess was standing at his door in an elegant manner.

"Athena," he said as he bent on his knees.

"No, no, please stand up," said Sasha quickly as she a bit ran to the young man and encouraged him to stand up. Degel obeyed her, at the same time looked at her in question. "I'm so honored to welcome your visit to my temple, my lady."

"Call me Sasha, please," replied Sasha, as usual felt a bit uneasy when someone addressing her with the curt "my lady".

"Alright, Lady Sasha …"

"No 'Lady', please?"

Degel smiled slightly. "I'm … not quite accustomed with that."

"Alright, forget about it now," Sasha said as she pulled Degel's hands and held them tight, her eyes sparkled when meeting his blue ones. "I've already made a plan for you."

"Plan?"

"You know me and Sage always give some gifts to my saints every years, now it's my time to give it to you."

"Why me?" asked Degel in bewilderment.

"Happy birthday!" answered Sasha cheerfully.

Oh … how come he forgot his own birthday …?

"And …," Sasha spoke more enthusiastic than before, trying to give more impressive news, "… two hundred years later, on the same day and the same date as now, your reincarnation is celebrating his birthday. Just the same as yourself."

The sentence didn't bring the effect expected by Sasha, as Degel's face turned blanker than before.

"It will certainly be a perfect gift for both him and you if you visit him when he blows his birthday candles."

"Wait a second," said Degel, trying to bring together the words Sasha told him with the expression are-you-kidding-my-lady? "You say it is two hundred years later?"

"Correct."

"And I live here in eighteenth century…"

"Definetely."

"So it is impossible for us to meet each other …"

"In a normal condition, yes."

"But you told me, my lady, that you want me to visit him?"

"Yes."

"_How_?"

"By the hand of The Pope and me."

Sasha's eyes went more sparkling and sparkling.

Degel, oppositely, went uneasy, unsure whether this was a good idea or not.

"Could it mean that you want me to travel throughout the time, my lady?" he asked quietly, worried about the fact that traveling throughout the time was not a simple matter, full of dangers and risks, like, there might be a possibility he couldn't come back to his origin time again.

Which would be so bad…

There was someone here who needed his cure every single day.

"You don't have to worry," encouraged Sasha, as if she could read Degel's mind. "We will travel you back to your original time. Beside, we only bestow you six hours in the _future_. You don't have to worry about Kardia."

"I see …," murmured Degel.

"So how is it?" asked Sasha in full expectation.

"Well … I will do all my lady's orders …"

"That's very kind of you! Alright, then, wait for me here, I will prepare all we need in Pope Hall," Sasha turned around and immediately ran to the Papacy, her purple hair danced in the air.

Degel was about to say something and paid out his hand, but it was too late. Sasha has left his temple.

He then cupped his chin thoughtfully. There were too many things traveling in his mind about this traveling to the future.

But strangely, only one thing which dominated his mind most.

"What do they look like …?"

-00-

The Aquarius has changed his gold cloth into the ordinary one. He borrowed from Sisyphus classic suit which fit his feature. He wondered whether this kind of tuxedo still existed in twentieth century, but he couldn't think about something else better than his Gold Cloth.

As he waited Sasha's cosmo to call, he made his way to Scorpio temple to tell Kardia about his departure, considering they interact as doctor and patient almost everyday.

Kardia was standing at the front side of his temple when Degel arrived at the Scorpio's exit.

"Hey, Kard," he greeted. His blue eyes shone behind the glasses he wore.

Kardia turned around. He raised his eyebrows when seeing his fellow's appearance. "Be damned," he said in a hint of astonishment in his voice. "You look so …"

"This is Sisyphus's," cut Degel, unwilling to make the topic longer. He didn't feel comfortable with this suit, though the other Gold Saints multiply said he was too good in it. "I will leave Sanctuary for a while."

"Where will you go?" asked Kardia without too much interest. He turned around again, staring at nowhere and letting the wind blew his cape and his blue hair softly.

"Would you believe me if I tell you?" asked Degel as he arrived beside Kardia.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Degel then told him Athena's plan.

Instead of being surprised, Kardia stared at him in anger.

"If you're truly the most honorable Gold Saint, you wouldn't tell me about Athena's plan," said the Scorpio. "You should keep it to be secret, unless Athena permits you to tell me."

"Kard," Degel gazed at his fellow in amazement. "I thought you never care about Athena."

Kardia startled for a while, then looked at somewhere else. "I … indeed never care about her," he said, once again, without looking at Degel's eyes.

Degel smiled a bit. "Your demeanor really tells the opposite."

"Why do you tell me anyway? Why don't you just leave?"

Degel stared at the bottom of twelve temples absentmindedly.

"At least you know where I'm going," he said, "in case I can't return to this year."

Something flashed in Kardia's blue eyes.

Worry …?

"Oh," was the only thing the Scorpio said.

Silence filled the air, until Degel felt Athena's cosmo calling him. He immediately floated his hand on Kardia's chests.

"I haven't needed it already, Degel," said Kardia, watching the mists of coldness entering his thick cloth and finally ended in his heart.

"I'll leave for six hours," said Degel after he finished with the treatment. "I give you a treatment which will last for about twelve hours."

They looked at each other for a while, before Degel turned around and started the steps to the Pope Hall.

"Degel."

"Yes?" Degel immediately turned around, looked at Kardia.

"Be careful and …," Kardia a bit hesitated when he walked slowly to his desk, then took a pouch from the wooden box on it. He handed it to Degel. "I've been thinking about to whom I should give this pouch. I think I get the answer now."

"What is this?" asked Degel curiously.

"Please give it to … ummm … whatever his name is …"

"Give it to who?"

"You'll meet your reincarnation, isn't it true? Then … there must be another one too."

"Another—oh …," Degel beamed once he understood whom Kardia meant.

"Yeah," Kardia gazed at the floor. "Give it to the next Scorpio saint."

"I will," the Aquarius smiled as he held Kardia's shoulders.

After exchanging the last gazes, Degel once again turned around and exited theScorpio temple.

Kardia watched his departure in silence. He couldn't help to take a deep sigh when realizing there was something he forgot to say to Degel.

_"Joyeux anniversaire …,"_ he murmured.

-00-

It was barely five minutes after Kardia murmured the French 'happy birthday' when Degel appeared again at the exit of Scorpio temple.

The Aquarius strangely looked far more different than before: instead of wearing tuxedo, he wore casual white shirt combined with a kind of long pants Kardia had never acknowledged. Later, people in the twentieth century would call it denim or jeans.

The Aquarius smiled slightly at Kardia. Behind his glasses, his wonderful eyes were dim and sad. Also a bit swollen.

"How come you changed your clothes this fast?" was the first question popping out from Kardia's mouth, among the other questions which were so ready to bloat. "And_ what _kind of clothes is that?"

"I'm done, Kard," answered Degel, pointlessly gazed at his sleeves. Kardia has just noticed there were spots on Degel's sleeves. The spots of whipped cream, Kardia could tell.

"What done?"

"The journey to the twentieth century."

…

Was this man really an intelligent person who cured his heart every single day? If yes, why he seemed having a hallucination about going to the twentieth century in barely five minutes?

"Degel, you said you would leave for six hours—but the fact is you only left my temple in five minutes, how come—"

"I'll explain it later," Degel stepped to the stairs and sat on the treads, eyes gazing at nowhere. "Oh … and I've given the pouch to Milo, Kard."

"Milo …?"

"The next Scorpio saint."

…

That's it. Only one thing left for the perplexed Kardia: forcing Degel to tell him everything—well, by threatening him with his Katakaio Antares if necessary.

-00-

**Next: **

**Twentieth century …**

"Kido's mansion 126th rule: NEVER EVER bring Aphrodite with you when you want to shop in supermarket or else!" growled Kanon.

"Why?" Aphrodite snarled at Kanon.

Saga and Kanon's head suddenly turned much bigger than usual when they screamed at Aphrodite. "BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS MISTAKEN AS OUR WIFE!"

**All blokes aimed to give The Water Bearer a surprise.**

"He's coming! Aiolia, prepare the confetti! Mu, switch the lamp off! Deathmask—for God's sake DEATHMASK, this is Camus's birthday okay? Not his funeral!" snarled Milo in horror as he saw Deathmask decorating the wall with a poster of many kind of ghosts originated from all over the world.

Deathmask coughed. "Only want to give this room kind of taste …"

**Any misunderstanding?**

"_Joyeux anniversaire_!" the Gold Saints cheered happily and showered the room with snow-like confetti when the Aquarius entered the house.

But they immediately turned frozen when they realized it wasn't Camus …

"Thank you," smiled Degel warmly.

-00-


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you very-very much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts, I'll never be tired to say how much it means to me *hugs*… Oh I've forgot to tell you…this story has different universe with**_** The Glasses**_**, I hope I won't make you confused. :)**

**Timeline: **

**Eighteen Century: Before the Holy War**

**Twentieth Century: After Hades, after all of my fics**

**-00-**

**Bonne Nuit**

**Two**

**-00-**

**Eighteen Century …**

"Degel, do you think I am the kind of person who will accept any ridiculous explanation or anything making no sense?" Kardia snapped as he held Degel's shoulders and forcing him to stare at him.

"I won't give any ridiculous explanation, I won't give you anything which makes no sense, and I won't lie to you. Only please don't interfere, alright?" Degel continued gazing at afar, inclining his head.

"OK—"

"Not even a single word."

"I try," grumbled Kardia incoherently.

Degel laughed a bit.

Then the tale began…

-00-

**Eighteen century, before Degel went to the twentieth century. After Degel bid Kardia farewell.**

He felt much better after telling Kardia the thing he would do. A smile even appeared on his good-looking face when he heard small voice from Scorpio temple.

_"Joyeux anniversaire …"_

Degel gazed at the treads quietly. "Thank you," he said.

It only took couple minutes for him to reach the Pope Hall. Athena and Sage have waited for him, standing sideways.

"Well," Degel took a deep breath as he positioned himself in the middle of Sage and Sasha. "I'm ready."

"Make sure you do not create any mistake, Degel," said Sage. "The future and the past are similar in one way: your whole life will entirely change if you switch the most essential thing in it, willingly or unwillingly."

"I see."

"You have to recognize which is essential and which is not."

"I will."

"And Degel," Sasha smiled softly at him.

"Yes, Lady Sasha?"

"You will arrive there on the day before Camus's birthday …"

"Camus …?"

"Your reincarnation," answered Sasha. "His birthday is the same as you, February 7, but you will arrive there on February 6. You will miss Camus's birthday party if you arrive there right on February 7. It's because the point of your arrival is the Pope Hall, and the Pope Hall is located in Greece. Meanwhile, Camus and the other Gold Saints live in Saori—Athena's—mansion in Japan. You'll have to make a journey to Japan, which in the future, took many hours. That's why, better you arrive the day before his birthday."

"But you told me you only gave me six hours in the future," said Degel in confusion.

"Six hours in Camus's birthday party," corrected Sasha. "It's excluded the journey to Japan."

"Kardia—"

"Do not worry about Kardia, Degel," Sage encouraged him. "We promise you, you will return here in time."

Degel watched Sage's ensuring feature and finally he nodded.

"My lady …," Degel asked Sasha before he departed. "How could you know a lot about the future? You even know my reincarnation's birthday, his name, and your reincarnation's name."

Sasha didn't answer, only smiled secretively and exchanging his gaze with Sage.

Before Degel was able to ask further, Sage and Sasha soon held his hands firmly. Blinding ray of light showering him, and finally brought him to the sensation he has known in familiar ways… Light speed. Only this was stronger than those owned by the Gold Saints. And he felt like seeing million kinds of faces and colours, each passed him in barely a second, before everything disappeared and turned into a complete darkness.

He fell unconscious once he arrived at twentieth century Pope Hall.

-00-

**Twentieth century. Right after Degel arrived at the present Pope Hall. A day before Camus's birthday.**

Ten minutes has passed. The young man slowly opened his eyes, trying to escape his unconsciousness. Everything was too blurry, and it was about two minutes later he just realized he didn't wore his glasses. His hands curtly traveled on the marble floor to search for it. Once he found it, he immediately wore it and began to examine his surroundings.

He knew this place so well. The ceilings, the floor, the surface of the wall, all was just the same with two hundred years ago-Pope Hall. Only Athena and Sage weren't there.

Degel stood up, slowly stepped to the gate._ Is this twentieth century…? _he thought. But there was no difference in the Pope Hall, or was it only this place which didn't change?

Spring wind swept his face when he exited the Papacy. Once again he was startled upon the similarity between the present temples and the past ones. He walked down the stairs, passing Pisces temple in silence, pointlessly expecting Albafica was there. Of course there was no Albafica; instead he saw a very large beautiful mirror with a lot of cosmetics and combs. He wondered whether the present Pisces saint was a girl …

He needed to pass the stairs again before entering his own temple. A kind of strange sensation greeted him as he entered that familiar house. Nevertheless, he breathed in relief as he saw the large bookshelves there gave the impression of being very-well treated. It seemed the present Aquarius saint loved reading as well. He smiled slightly as he examined one of the books which didn't own even a dot of dust.

The young man restored the book, then gave himself some time to take a look at the other stuffs. There was a desk consisting of notebooks and well-organized stationary. Some has just existed in twentieth century that Degel didn't know their names.

But the thing which paid all Degel's attention was only a photograph …

In 18th century the picture with such amazing qualities hadn't been existed, but Degel was sure technology has created some equipment to produce such good one.

The young man slowly reached the frame, gazed at the photograph with mixture of feelings.

There, in the photograph, two young men were smiling cheerfully, wrapping their arms to each other. Each had straight long turquoise hair and attractive long blue curls. They were so joyful, free, that Degel thought not even a single burden would dare to push their shoulders.

Degel kept gazing at the photograph that he didn't realize a small warm tear started to moist his eyes.

So even after two hundred years they were still best friends …

He has just turned his eyes away from the photograph when hearing somebody stepping to his temple's direction. Soon he wiped away his tears and put the photograph into his pocket. No, he wasn't stealing … he and the turquoise haired young man were the same person; surely he had rights to have this picture.

Didn't he …?

"Camus?"

He looked at the entrance, wondering who it was stepping to the house.

It was a lovely-looking woman wearing floral-motives white long dress and knitted-cardigan. Her hair was green in colour. In her hands there was a vase filled with daisies. "I thought you are in Kido's mansion," she said confusedly.

"Well …," Degel didn't know what to say.

The young woman slowly stopped and stared at the young man painstakingly. In this short distance she could see the difference between him and Camus. His expression was warmer than Camus's, his fringe was also a bit longer. He wore glasses, something she never found in Camus.

Silence was ringing for some moments, until finally she realized who this young man was …

Her eyes widened in surprised and the vase in her hands dropped on the floor, broken into pieces. She covered her mouth and gasped in horror. "Oh God…"

"I'm Aquarius Degel," Degel stated, guessing that she has recognized him.

"I … I've often seen your paintings in Kido's house …," she whispered. "… together with the other ancient warriors …"

Degel nodded quietly.

"How …how come …?" she stammered. "Are you …," her voice almost lost. "… a ghost …?"

The young man laughed slightly, causing her more confused than before. How different his personality with Camus's …

"I'm not. I can explain all," he said. "But … ummm … may I know who you are?"

"My name is Shaina," she answered. "Ophiuchus Shaina."

"You're a saint?"

"Yes. Silver saint."

Degel breathed in relief. "Good."

-00-

**Twentieth century. A day after Degel's arrival in the Pope Hall. Camus's birthday.**

Two identical-faced men were grumbling in complete frustration as they made their way to Kido's mansion. There were two large plastic bags in their hands. Meanwhile, a man (or a woman…why it's always so difficult to define that creature's gender?) walked behind them with tube-shaped mouth, the clue that he (or she) was irritated and mad. His (or her) lipgloss got the lips more extensive than it really was.

"I don't wanna say 'this is your fault', Saga."

"Then don't say anything!"

"But for the sake of Poseidon's urn, I must say this is your fault!"

"Don't snap at your big brother!"

"You're only two minutes older!"

"This is not my fault, Kanon, you know he is always too excited when hearing the word 'supermarket' or 'department store'…," Saga lowered his voice, hoping Aphrodite wouldn't hear, but apparently he failed, for Aphrodite's expression transformed as if he has been so ready to choke everyone's throats, especially the twins's.

"That's a very great explanation upon why this should be your fault. You should've not announced our plan to go to supermarket when Dite is all around!"

"Would you stop talking behind my back?" snarled Aphrodite when he's fed up.

"We're not talking behind your back, we're walking in front of you, it doesn't make any sense if you say we're talking behind your back," said Kanon flatly.

"That's not what I mean, Kanon-chan!"

"CALL ME 'KANON-CHAN' AGAIN AND I SWEAR I WILL INTOXICATE YOUR SPA WITH OUR USED PAIRS OF SOCKS!" Kanon's voice thundered. He'd better be in the battle against Hades again than hearing Aphrodite calling him 'Kanon-chan'.

"I'm only imitating Miss Saori when she calls Shaka's bird! She calls the bird 'Biki-chan'!" Aphrodite defended himself.

"SO YOU THINK I'M SIMILAR WITH A BIRD?"

"Kanon, calm yourself down," said Saga, grasping Kanon's shoulders and guiding him to continue walking, though Saga had to prevent himself roaring in laughter to death.

"That's right, Saga-chan, ask your brother to calm down," said Aphrodite, causing Kanon laugh uncontrollably and causing Saga's face turned as scarlet as Milo's nail. "Good boy, _Saga-chan_!" Kanon gasped in the middle of his laughter.

"Shut up, you both," Saga grumbled, while behind him Aphrodite was smiling joyfully, seemed like he really enjoyed this.

When they've arrived in Kido's mansion, Kanon immediately announced his newly rule.

"Kido's mansion 126th rule: NEVER ever bring Aphrodite with you when you want to go to supermarket or else!" Kanon grumbled in irritation. "Write it on the rules board, Mu!"

Mu didn't have any choice except sighing and picking the permanent board-marker, then write Kanon's order on the board. It was a very large board consisting hundred rules in Kido's mansion, most were stupid and unimportant thing such as, "When you want to ask for Deathmask's help you have to say Deathmask is handsome", or, "Never cook Biki as your dinner or free ticket to meet and greet with the guardian of hell", and so on…

"Why not?" snarled Aphrodite in wrath.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS MISTAKEN AS OUR WIFE!" snarled Saga and Kanon with much bigger head than usual.

The situation suddenly turned silent.

All Gold Saints there stared at Saga, Kanon, and Aphrodite with locked mouth…

…until finally they laughed cheerfully in harmony.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

This was not the reaction Saga and Kanon expected. With full of embarrassment both of them shook their heads and walked to the dining table to put their shopping bags.

"Must be a very annoying thing," laughed Aiolia as he helped Kanon picking everything from the bags.

"Yeah …," mumbled Kanon. "Everytime I walked with Dite, the shopkeepers we met always said, 'You're so lucky to have such beautiful wife, Sir.'"

Aiolia almost rolled on the floor.

"They complimented the same thing when Saga and Dite walked together; at first they thought me and Saga are the same person," said Kanon. "They've just aware we are twins when three of us have been in the cashier. Even the cashier asked 'So who's between you having such gorgeous and stunning wife?'"

"Not very surprising actually," said Aiolia once he calmed down. "Seeing Dite's supermodel style …"

"And with his habit of calling us the "chan"-thing," added Saga, and Aiolia once again laughed to death.

"By the way, Saga, don't forget we have to separate the daily needs and the stuffs for Camus's birthday," said Kanon then.

"Don't worry, I have picked all stuffs for the surprise and kept it safe," replied Saga coolly. "By the way, we'll do the surprise this afternoon, won't we? Has Camus left this mansion? We cannot prepare anything if he's still here."

"Milo is in his room now, persuading him to leave the house," Aiolia told.

In Camus's room, Milo and Camus were sitting on Camus's couch, chuckling on the noise happened outside.

"They should've written the rule long time ago to anticipate such disaster," laughed Milo.

Camus only smiled and gazed outside the window before looking at Milo again.

"Hey, won't you plan to go to the city library today?" asked Milo, started persuading his best friend. Camus forgot about his birthday as usual and Milo had no intention to remind him.

"No," answered Camus. "Just want to spend time at home."

"Then bring the books home," said Milo with sparkling eyes. "I want to read as well."

"Why don't you go to the library yourself?"

"You know well how allergic I am with that building," laughed Milo. "I love reading but hate library, so ironic, isn't it? Just similar with the fact that I care too much about you but hate coldness."

"Well—" Camus wanted to refuse, but seeing those sparkling blue eyes, the eyes which would make him ready to give up his life, he could only sigh. "Fine," he murmured.

"Great," Milo beamed. "So what do you think?"

"What do I think?"

"The thing we discussed," said Milo, "about traveling to the past."

"I still don't think it's possible," Camus leaned on the back of the sofa.

"Why not? As long as we have a kind of machine which is able to surpass light speed, we'll successfully blast to the past."

"You read Jules Verne too much," Camus a bit smiled.

"H.G. Wells, you mean?" Milo chuckled.

"They're similar in some ways."

"Graud Foundation can create such machine, I bet," Milo nodded in optimism.

"Let's assume it's possible," Camus leant forward now, scrutinizing Milo's eyes. "What you're gonna do?"

"I—" Milo stopped for a while, considering his answer. "Preventing that swan boy killing you," he sneered, but with dim expression. "I'd do it with all of my might, sacrificing my life if necessary."

"Double improbability," Camus replied firmly.

"Why?" asked Milo stubbornly. "We could change everything once we get there."

"There's one thing which counted as everything, and it can never be changed even with surpassing-light-speed-machine, Milo."

"What is that?"

Camus smiled slightly. "Destiny," he answered.

Silence.

"What's the point of discussing this anyway?" asked Camus then.

"Nothing," murmured Milo. "Maybe you're right. I've read Jules Verne too much. And _Back to the Future _last night," he buried his face on the cushion for a while before looking at Camus in exhaustion. "How practical it is if I could turn back the time."

"Milo!" suddenly there was a call from downstairs.

"I'm ready, Saga," replied Milo with loud tone. "He wants me preparing lunch," he told Camus, though he didn't really mean that way.

"Hey," said Camus as Milo stood up. "Present, is the most important," he murmured. "Not past or future."

Milo nodded and smiled. "You're right. But if only I could be as realistic as you."

They gazed at each other's blue eyes for a while, before Milo turning around and left Camus's room. "Don't forget to visit the library, Camus," he reminded.

Camus gazed outside the window after Milo left. His mind was floating at nowhere, thinking about something he actually needn't to think.

Afterwards he chose to stand up and forget about it all, preparing his visit to the library, then immediately passing down the stairs and went out through the kitchen's door, passing his noisy friends on the process.

With that he didn't have to meet a young man who was so resembled him making his way to Kido's mansion primary gate.

-00-

Everybody downstairs were so ignorant when hearing the door bell rang.

"Please open the door, Masky."

"I'm busy, why don't you open the door yourself, Dite?"

"I'm manicuring my nails. Shaka, open the door, please."

"I am meditating. Milo, open the door."

"I'm preparing lunch, Shaka. Aldebaran, please open the door."

"I'm helping you preparing lunch. Saga, open the door, please?"

"I'm helping you and Milo preparing lunch."

Saori could only sigh on her saint's pretending-to-be-deaf action. She stood up and stepped elegantly to the door. "Alright, I'll open the door," she murmured, causing the Gold Saints scarlet in embarrassment.

The young woman opened the door once she arrived at the living room separated from the family room and dining room.

She widened her eyes as he saw her guest.

…

"Good day," the young man greeted in warmth. "Are you Athena?"

Saori gasped softly. In her surprise she unconsciously closed the door again, trying to catch her breath …

_She knew him …_

The glasses … it couldn't be wrong …

"_But how come_ …?" she whispered.

"Miss Saori, who is it?" asked Saga from the dining room.

"My old friend, Saga," answered Saori automatically as she grabbed her traveling coat from the cupboard next to the door. "I'm … I'm going out for a while, Saga," she told. "I'll be back soon," she opened the door, exited the house, then standing face to face with the unordinary guest.

"Yes, Degel," she smiled. "I'm Athena."

-00-

**Next:**

**Buying new clothes…**

"Let's go, Degel, you have to tell me what's going on," said Saori as she tugged Degel's hand.

"Where will we go, my lady?"

"Buying clothes. You can't wear that kind of tuxedo in twentieth century. We'll go by limo."

"Ummm … my lady …"

"Yes?"

"What is limo …?"

**Some misunderstanding …**

"_Joyeux anniversaire_!" the Gold Saints cheered happily and showered the room with snow-like confetti when the Aquarius entered the house.

But they went frozen when they realized it wasn't Camus ….

"Thank you," smiled Degel warmly.

**Thus he began to get familiar with the reincarnations of his friends ...**

"Sisyphus?" asked Degel.

"My name is Aiolos."

"Asmita?"

"It is not correct."

"Albafica?"

"Don't you dare mentioning that name in front of my face!" Aphrodite snarled, to Degel's confusion.

"He's just jealous," explained Shura carefully. "Coz though Albafica is beautiful he is still considered as a man ..."

"Oh ...," murmured Degel.

**And his own …**

"Hello," Degel smiled at Camus.

Camus gazed at him for quite long time, then bowed his head, felt a bit shy. "Hello …"

-00-


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello everyone...! *hugs* Oh my...I actually planned to hiatus for a while, there are a lot of things I have to do...but then I started to get uneasy and felt guilty for not updating too long...T.T I apologize for the very late update, so here is the next chapter. I promise the rests would be submitted before or exactly on Camus's birthday (February 7th =D), and I will submit the Thirty Hugs! on the same date as well. :) Thank you very much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts *hugs* I hope you'll enjoy this, and only if you have spare time, I would like to know which part of this chapter you do like and don't like, so I can make my improvement for the next chapters and fics. :) Remember, _only_ if you have spare time. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own SS characters.

**Bonne Nuit**

**Three**

**-00-**

The purple haired goddess tugged the young—forget about his year of birth—man 's hand with never stopped glancing at her mansion, making sure nobody taking a peek on her.

"My …," stammered Degel, still confused at his lady's gesture. "My lady—"

"We've got to go now and you've got to tell me the whole story, Degel."

"Where will we go?"

"Buying new clothes. You can't wear that kind of tuxedo in this century—we'll go by limo."

"My lady …"

"Yes?" asked Saori impatiently.

"What is limo …?"

"Something big and black which can travel you from one place to another," answered Saori, mentioning the first explanation popping in her mind.

When they've arrived next to the limo, Degel couldn't help to speak again. "But my lady, the Ophiuchus young lady calls this kind of thing 'waxy' or 'paxy'…"

"Taxi, you mean?" Saori gestured Degel to enter after the driver opened the doors.

"Yes, something like that …"

When they've been inside and the limo started to speed up, Saori patiently explained the whole differences between taxi and limo. The more Degel listened the more he went numb—in eighteenth century he was widely known as the most intelligent saint in Sanctuary, but he doubted he would be addressed the same here in twentieth century, considering he mispronounced "taxi" and unable to specify the type of vehicles.

"Now's your turn, Degel, _how_ could you're here in twentieth century?" asked Saori once she finished the lecture.

Degel told her everything, about Sasha's gift, the time travel, and so on.

"I arrived at the Pope hall and met Miss Shaina," he said. "She then took me to ride that … taxi … to a very large place called airport, and there she bought two tickets to Japan. Then we rode a very large thing like a bird …"

"You mean plane?" Saori smiled. How many times she could see the most intelligent saint being that cute?

"Yes, plane. So amazing, it's flying above the sky …"

Saori gave Degel chance to express his admiration towards plane, before he returned to the main topic.

"When we've arrived at Narita airport, she guided me to ride a taxi again, and ensured I will arrive at your mansion in about forty five minutes after she gave the address to the driver. We parted then—she had to return to Sanctuary because it's her turn to guard it."

"I see …"

"My lady, she said she has close relationship with the Scorpio saint," said Degel, the blue eyes behind the glasses shone, in a way that reminded Saori to the twinkling stars.

"Yes, it is true."

"Kardia will be so glad, knowing he has such beautiful and kind lover in the future."

"He will."

Both of them gazed at each other. Saori smiled in warmth looking at the features of her ancient saint. Couple minutes before she still doubted whether he was real or merely the vignette of her imagination. But now she was fully sure that he was real, here, alive and healthy.

"You don't change at all, my lady," smiled Degel then.

"And you really look like him," Saori said. "Camus will be so glad to see you."

"How is he?" asked Degel, giving her the question which had existed pre-his departure.

"His demeanor is really cold. But his heart is warmer than anyone could be," Saori smiled as she held Degel's arms. "You'll be so proud of him."

Degel nodded quietly. "I know."

-00-

**Two hours later in Kido's mansion.**

"Deathmask, do you know where Biki is?" asked Shaka in the middle of the noises.

His fellows were busy preparing the surprise and he was the only one wandering all day long, ceasing his meditation, and asked everyone about Biki's whereabouts.

"Dunno."

"Would you mind to help me searching for him?"

"Why me?" Deathmask asked irritably.

At the corner of the room, Shura was testing a handmade trumpet and blowing it with all of his might, producing very unpleasant and deafening sounds that the Goldies jumped in shock.

"DAMNIT SHURA!" they snarled in unison.

"Sorry," Shura said blushing.

"Because you are the only one who are not busy," Shaka continued, as if there hadn't been no trumpet which almost made his heart stop beating.

"I'm not in the mood of preparing a surprise for somebody I don't really get along with."

"Then would you please help me searching for Biki?"

"Read Kido's Mansion 23rd Rule first then, Shaka."

Shaka inclined his head elegantly to read the said rule on the whiteboard. "Kido's Mansion 23rd Rule: When you want Deathmask's help you have to say Deathmask is handsome."

"But Deathmask," said Shaka calmly, "Haven't you known that a new rule has been established?"

"What do you mean?"

"Please read the latest rule."

Deathmask growled; he was really sure the latest rule was about not bringing Aphrodite to any supermarket, but his eyes widened in wrath as he saw the next rule below it:

"Kido's Mansion 127th Rule: The 23rd rule does not exist."

"WHEN THE HELL DID THEY WRITE IT?" bellowed Deathmask wrathfully.

"I was the one who wrote it, when you were not seeing," smiled Shaka.

Now Deathmask wanted to hang his face on his temple's wall.

"Will you help me find Biki?"

But before Deathmask answering, a cluster of yellow feathers was flying towards Saga's direction. Biki has come back, a mouth of paper-made jug was inserted between his small beak. Inside were the flakes of snow-like confetti.

"Thank you, Biki," said Saga cheerfully as he took the paper jug from Biki's beak. "Good bird, you know what to do though I didn't order you," he added as he softly stroked his feathers. Biki chirped happily before flying and perching on his master's shoulders.

"Why he treats a bird better than he treats his brother…?" mumbled Kanon, who was decorating the wall with glossy paper.

"Well if I'm stroking your hair after you give me a paper made jug I'm afraid my fangirls will faint out," replied Saga in irritation.

"Because they're too happy …," Aiolia continued silently.

"I don't have to do anything then," Deathmask told Shaka. He was about to sink on the couch, but Aphrodite glared at him and said, "Masky, will you stop being lazy and help me decorating the wall?"

Deathmask growled, but no need to refuse Aphro's demand since he was the only one who can make him giving up. The Cancer stood up and started to help his best friend.

The Goldies continued decorating and cooking and serving the dishes, until Milo's blue eyes caught someone he knew stepping towards the mansion's primary door. He wondered why Camus made his way to the primary door instead of the kitchen's one, but there was no time to think about it.

"He's coming! Aiolia, Saga, prepare the confetti! Mu, switch the lamp off! Deathmask—for God's sake DEATHMASK, this is Camus's birthday, okay? Not his funeral!" snarled Milo as he saw Deathmask decorating the wall with a poster of many kind of ghosts originated from all over the world: banshee, vampire, Dracula, headless horseman, even pocong (the ghost originated from Indonesia).

Deathmask coughed. "Only want to give this room kind of taste …"

Milo shook his head in despair, but he had no time to deal with Deathmask's horrifying manner. Kanon, though, still reacted on Deathmask's weirdness in that hurly-burly moment. He wrote on the whiteboard: "Kido's Mansion 128th Rule: Deathmask has no talent to be a party decorator."

The Goldies finally finished preparing everything, also switching off the lamp, when the door was knocked.

"Since when Camus knocked the door?" asked Milo, once again in bewilderment.

"Maybe he just wants to," replied Aiolos. "I'll open it."

After Aiolos opened the door …

"JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE!" the Goldies were cheering as well as switching the lamp on and throwing the snow-like confetti to the young man at the door. _"Happy birthday to you!"_ they began to sing. _"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday Cam—"_

They stopped singing in a sudden.

…

Something weird was happening in this mansion … the young man was not Camus…

He indeed had a long hair as Camus, but the colour was slightly different: there was almost no shade of blue on it. His countenance indeed really looked like Camus, but there was a mistake on it: a warmth on his expression, something Camus was really difficult to perform. His fringe was also a bit longer. And he wore glasses.

"Thank you," the young man finally spoke. He smiled heartwarmingly. "Today is indeed my birthday," he continued.

…

The Goldies felt a chill that had nothing to do with weather.

"My name is Degel," the young man introduced himself. "Aquarius Degel."

"By Athena …," Shura whispered in shock. "I must be going insane to see this kind of hallucination …"

"You're not the only one who has hallucination …," Saga whispered as well. "I see him too."

"We have a mass hallucination," Kanon replied.

"No, this is not a hallucination," Degel smiled slightly, recognized the three as his fellows' reincarnation: El Cid, Defteros, and Aspros.

Milo was the first who made a move. Slowly he stepped towards the young man, then gazed at his features scrutinizingly.

Degel, meanwhile, smiling at him. It couldn't be wrong, his blue eyes, his blue hair, also that naughty features, though less aggressive.

"I know you," the Aquarius said quietly.

Milo didn't reply, still mesmerized by the appearance of the young man.

"I'm Degel," Degel paid out his hand.

Milo gazed at his hand, then slowly shook it and continued staring at his visage.

That was the moment the Scorpio realized this wasn't a dream. He was real, this Aquarius Degel. He could feel his cosmos; it was just almost the same as Camus's, but slightly warmer. He could recognize the distinction: when feeling Camus's cosmos he felt like standing in the middle of Siberian severe weather, but Degel's cosmos was different. Milo didn't feel like being in Siberia when shaking his hand. Instead, he felt like being soothed by the cool winter of somewhere in West Europe territory.

"I'm Scorpio Milo," said Milo enthusiastically. Now that he really believed in his existence he didn't even think about why the 200-years-ago saint could appear here in twentieth century.

"Scorpio Milo," Degel said, "And the previous is Scorpio Kardia."

"You know, I've collected many clippings about you," Milo said with sparks in his blue eyes.

"Clippings?"

"Wait a second," Milo marched at the library.

Degel waited, while the Goldies still stared at him the way they saw a parchment put in the middle of e-books readers.

"Here it is," said Milo as he returned. He bought a very good quality file holders, then opened its pages and showed it to Degel. The Aquarius went startled seeing a lot of parchments publishing his achievements and intelligence in the past. Some parchments even had his sketches.

"Athena said the eighteenth century pope always made articles about the saints's achievement," said Milo. "It is kept in the Pope's hall and still exists until now. One day I asked Shion's permission to—"

"Shion?" Degel was fully surprised. "Aries Shion?"

"Yes, Shion," said Milo, didn't understand what surprised Degel at first.

"Shion in twentieth century?"

"Oh …," replied Milo once he understood. "Yes, Shion in 20th century. Shion and Dohko are still alive."

"Really?" Degel's face once again was hued with happiness. "Where are them now?"

"They're on the way from Rozan, China."

Meanwhile, behind them the Goldies were making a small incoherent discussion.

"I can't take it._ Why on earth _an eighteenth century Gold Saint could step on twentieth century mansion?" asked Aiolia in depress.

"Athena should give us an explanation, but where she is now?" asked Mu thoughtfully.

"Whatever it is we have to test whether he is truly Degel or not," said Kanon, "In case he is Lymnades in disguise …"

"Shut up, Kanon, you said yourself Lymnades is not revived by your dear master Poseidon," growled Deathmask.

"Hmmm …," Shaka murmured.

"Ah …what is it Shaka? Do you have any idea?" Aldebaran asked in enthusiasm.

"Could it be he was time traveling from eighteenth century?" suggested Shaka.

"But how?"

"Excuse me," Aiolos suddenly interrupted. The Goldies stopped talking, but as he saw Aiolos's gaze they realized he addressed the interruption to Degel and Milo.

"We need a bit explanation," said Aiolos as Degel looked at him and recognized him as Sisyphus's reincarnation.

-00-

"... Miss Saori then brought me to a department store and she bought me these clothes," said Degel, pointing the white T-shirt and the blue jeans he wore.

All goldies were sitting on the soft carpet in the family room, listening to Degel's story. Behind them the fireplace rayed soothingly—it was as if Degel told them a fairytale in the midst of winter days.

"She suddenly had to fix some problem in her foundation, so she dropped me here, then continued her journey. She apologized she can't join the party," Degel continued.

"Wow, time travelling must be really cool," said Aiolia enthusiastically.

Degel nodded, smiling at him. "You are Regulus, aren't you? Sisyphus's disciple?" he also looked at Aiolos.

"His name is Aiolia," said Aiolos. "My disciple and also my little brother."

"Really?" beamed Degel. "Well ... I think I have to know more about you all."

The Goldies started to eagerly introducing themselves. Sometimes Degel guessed by himself, by briefly scrutinizing their features.

"Asmita?" asked Degel as he looked at Shaka.

"It is Shaka," the Virgo smiled.

"Albafica?" Degel asked Aphrodite.

"Don't you dare mentioning that name in front of my face!" snarled Aphrodite, to Degel's bewilderment.

"He's just jealous," nodded Saga. "Shion said that although Albafica was beautiful he was still considered as a man, not somebody's wife."

"Oh ...," Degel wasn't sure what to say, while the Gold Saints laughed happily and ignoring Aphrodite's glare.

"So," Degel said after he acknowledged their names. His eyes were searching. "Where is he? The Aquarius?"

The cold voice coming from the door seemed to answer Degel's question.

"I'm home."

...

Everybody turned their eyes to the door to see Camus stepping at Milo. There were numbers of books in his hands. "Here," he said as he gave the books to his best friend, who watched him blankly.

After giving the books, Camus turned around and took steps to his room. He sensed a guest in the middle of his fellows, but he didn't mind—after all he wasn't accustomed to greet someone he didn't know.

But suddenly he was unable to step any longer ...

...

Was it true he didn't know the guest...?

...

Slowly he returned to the family room and stared at the young man, whose face and hairstyles—well...whose _everything—_was really resembling him.

Degel smiled. "_Joyeux anniversaire_."

Even Deathmask was eager to know about what would happen between the two Aquariuses.

**-00-**


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: Ok, kill me now…T.T I'd promised to update this fic in Camus's birthday but I failed! T.T I'm so sorry, I've just been able to update now, and it even hasn't been done…and the Thirty Hugs! is still on progress…! T.T I really hope I don't disappoint you…and hope you enjoy this chapter :) As usual, constructive criticism is highly accepted :).**

**Disclaimer: Don't own SS chara**

**Bonne Nuit**

**Four**

Camus blinked several times, half expecting what he saw was only in his head. But no matter how frequent he blinked his deep blue eyes was, the young man in front of him didn't vanish. Instead he kept smiling at him, looking at him with kind gaze.

Ok, so this was not an imagination. Then maybe this Sunday some of his fellows wanted to make fun on him by putting a kind of magical mirror—Mu probably had created a more sophisticated edition of Crystal Wall, which could reflect a _similar_ version of a person when he or she stared at it. Yes, similar … because although this man did really look like him, there were some errors on his features—the most obvious were his glasses and the warmth on his expression.

Camus was alerted when the young man approached him. If this was really his friends's silly game, he mustn't do anything which caused him looked like a fool.

"Hello," Degel smiled, paid out his hand. "My name is Degel," he introduced himself for fifth times.

"You've crossed the line, Milo," said Camus suddenly, by Milo's bafflement. "What?"

"You think I'll believe in this ridiculous prank? You must have asked someone to imitate my incarnation."

"Oh," Milo chuckled, but he chose not to correct his best friend's idea.

"You're wrong," said Degel to Camus. "I _am _really your incarnation."

The intensity of his gaze got Camus motionless; he felt like watching his own blue eyes.

Camus tried to focus on the young man's cosmos. Cold … just like his own. He even could feel a swirl of cool wind sweeping his face. But this coolness was really calm, really soothing, though the calmness didn't lessen its powerful vigor.

Camus couldn't mention any word even when million questions started to fill his head like fire, and even though he had been able to say any, he wouldn't have any chance to, because Aldebaran soon stood up and swept all of his fellows—including Degel—only with both of his hands. "Let's give ourselves honor to have lunch right now, my friends—the foods have waited too long and it will be chilly if we keep babbling here, moreover there are two Aquarius saints occupying the mansion right now—the foods might turn into frosts in a minute," he said as all of them, except Camus (he still couldn't move his legs…), walked reluctantly into the dining room. Now … Aldebaran was really sensitive about food that he didn't want to give his fellows any chance to see what would happen between the two different-generation Aquariuses.

Milo fled from Aldebaran, approaching his best friend and swung his hand in front of his unblinking blue eyes.

"Happy birthday!" he greeted.

Camus finally blinked, looking at Milo unfocusedly.

"Gee … how many times we can see you that shocked?" Milo chuckled as he tugged Camus's hand and dragged him to follow their fellows.

"Milo—how—"

"Trust me, he is really Degel." Then Milo, briefly, yet also accurately, told Camus everything.

Even after getting the explanation Camus couldn't set his surprise aside. Seeing someone who really resembled him bestowed an odd sensation to his mentality. No … seeing someone who had been _him_ in the past did bestow a _very_ odd effect to his mentality.

The Goldies encircled the large table in the dining room. Degel was in the middle, and Camus, by chance, sat opposite him. Different with Camus, Degel was unbelievably calm. Too calm, they could tell. They were amazed on how he could stay stoic to sit in front of his reincarnation, as if it was something he could experience everyday. The ancient Aquarius oddly was more interested in watching the foods served on the table. The meals were indeed mouthwatering (thanks to Aldebaran's skilled-hands): big roasted turkeys, dozens of chipolatas, plates of beef steaks, plates of fillet fish, a large bowl of gratin soup, various desserts such as chocolate pudding, trifles, and banana splits. Did the appeal of the meals surpass the remarkable meeting with a reincarnation?

The Gold Saints started to pour the meals on their plates, but they couldn't help to wide their eyes and mouths in awe when seeing how exactly the same Degel and Camus's manners were.

First of all, they took the beef steaks with their spoons, then poured it into their plates. Then they got a jug of cold orange juice, pouring it into their goblets, then drunk it. Afterwards they sliced their beef steaks into small squares before eating it.

It just felt like seeing both a person standing against a mirror and his reflection.

"What?" asked Camus after realizing all eyes were directed to him and his incarnation.

The Goldies shook their heads altogether and started eating.

"This is really delicious," Degel beamed. "I've never tasted such delicious meals in my life."

"Thank you," said Aldebaran, felt really praised upon Degel's compliment. "I cooked them."

"Really, Hasgard?" asked Degel in amazement. "I'm sorry…I mean…Aldebaran…"

"Me and Saga helped him," Milo told Degel, replied by Saga's enthusiastic nods.

"_You_ and _Saga_ only helped Aldebaran putting the plates on the dining table," grumbled Kanon, and all were laughing at Saga and Milo's blushing cheeks.

"Well …," smiled Degel after their laughter ended. "You haven't bestowed your friend a happy birthday."

"Oh you're right!" In the previous shocking and unbelievable occurrence they hadn't had any chance to make this surprise party worked. Now that Degel reminded them they started to sing birthday songs for Camus (Deathmask only murmuring the lyrics). Those who sat next to Camus: Aiolia, Aldebaran, Milo, and Aiolos, gave their cheerful hugs.

Camus, as usual, only responded with slight smile. Most of the time his head turned downwards, though at the end of the birthday song, he started to look at Degel, who smiled at him and greeted him "_joyeoux anniversaire_" once more.

-00-

After the lunch time ended, Aphrodite left all the dirty plates in the kitchen. "As if I will sacrifice my precious nails to do this maiden works …," he grumbled, immediately stepped to the Kido's-mansion-rules whiteboard, then fiercely erased the 90th rule: _Every Sunday it is Aphrodite's turn to wash the dishes._

It was only Camus who caught Aphrodite's impiety. He sighed, then headed to the kitchen to replace him washing the dishes, leaving his fellows who had fun chats in the family room. Degel, who was also sitting in the family room, turned his head to his reincarnation, right on the time when Deathmask was gossiping about Saori.

"… sometimes I just can't get her ways of thinking when she starts asking us to do silly things, such as establishing singing contest or worse …," growled Deathmask.

"She's only bored," Aiolos guarded his goddess. "Besides she doesn't do it everyday."

"Hey, speaking of Miss Saori, do you remember couple weeks ago, when she suddenly looked very strange?" asked Aiolia. "She returned from Olympus mountain before schedules and suddenly she forgot our names and all things about us."

"Yes, and her manner was a bit different as well," said Milo thoughtfully. "She looked … more elegant, and … I don't know … _ancient_?"

Degel slowly widened his eyes.

_Could it be…?_

He was about to join the conversation when all of a sudden there was a clank from the kitchen.

"What is that?" murmured the Goldies.

"I'll check it," said Degel as he stood up and headed to the kitchen. There he found Camus picking saucepans from the floor.

"You're alright?" asked Degel.

Camus turned his head a bit. "Yes, the saucepans just slipped," he answered. After putting the saucepans on the pantry, he continued washing the dishes.

Silence then. Camus kept on working with the dirty plates, somewhat ignoring the one who has voluntarily accompanied him. After all, he wasn't a type of person who could get along with someone he just met, even his own incarnation. He couldn't pick any exact topic to start a conversation either.

And so he chose to pay no attention to Degel, though ignoring someone who had been too friendly wasn't counted as a fair thing to do.

On the other side Degel decided to accept his reincarnation's manner. From the first time he'd met him he had known it was the way Camus was. He waited until Camus was accustomed to his presence before starting any conversation.

He stared at the kitchen's contents, amazed on how modern the kitchen looked. He tempted to approach a blender and examine it, tried to push one of its knobs, and almost jumped backwards when the blender suddenly produced a deafening sound.

Camus immediately approached the blender and switched it off. The deafening sound ceased.

"Sorry," said Degel remorsefully.

"It's alright," Camus replied.

They looked at each other. Camus sometimes turned his head downwards, a bit shy. Quite making sense it was, considering he looked at himself which existed two centuries ago.

"Well …," said Degel finally. Now that they were standing face to face he thought it wasn't a bad idea to start a conversation. "Is there any library in this mansion?"

Camus nodded. Library was the thing which interested his incarnation most. "Yes."

"If you don't mind, could you show it to me?"

"Sure."

The present Aquarius then stepped to the library, with the ancient one following him.

No word was proper enough to describe Degel's feeling once they arrived there. Behind his glasses, his wonderful eyes were sparkling when gazing at the bookshelves encircling the room, as if they were the precious gems he couldn't get at anywhere.

Softly he stroked the books with his palms, then carefully captured one of the books categorized in "1600's until 1700's" shelf.

"I can't believe there are a lot of poets whose works are immortalized in this era. I have this book," he said.

Camus hesitated, then finally decided to approach him and looked at the books' cover. Alexander Pope.

"His poem, _Eloisa to Abelard_, is amazing," said Degel as he turned the pages and stopped at the said poem.

"I like it too …," murmured Camus curtly.

"Really?" Degel's eyes sparkled once more.

"Yes… There's a movie, entitled _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_, which I think is inspired by this poem …. You see that the movie's title was taken from the line in _Eloisa to Abelard _…"

"Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind …," said Degel. "_How happy is the blameless vestal's lot…_," he recite a stanza from the poem.

_"The world forgetting by the world forgot …_," Camus preceded.

Degel smiled warmly. "_Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind …_"

"_Each pray'r accepted and each wish resign'd._"

Camus finally managed to smile, though it was still a slight one. His barrier slowly melted upon Degel's intelligence. Camus has just realized that literary works were the best theme they could get along really well with, since both loved everything related to them.

"What do you think about that stanza?" Degel asked then.

The present Aquarius started to think about it for a while, then said, "I think it suggests that forgetting something is better than remembering it," he gazed at nowhere for sometimes. "I think _Eloisa to Abelard_'s essence is just like the poem written by Christina Rossetti."

"Christina Rossetti?"

"She existed in 19th century, after your era …"

Suddenly Camus felt like there was a dagger slashing his heart.

If only Degel didn't die in Holy War 1787 …

If only he didn't die, he would have chances to read the poetries written after the Renaissance and Classic era … He would have chance to learn on Rossetti, Keats, Byron, even Shelley.

If only …

"What is Rossetti's poem like?" asked Degel, waking Camus up from his daydream.

"… the essence is the same, I think … forgetting something is better than remembering it …," murmured Camus. "_Better by far you should forget and smile/ Than you should remember and be sad …_"

Degel nodded slightly. He gazed at afar for a moment. "You're right," he said. "Sometimes it is better to forget than to remember. Yet you see, Camus … things do not only exist to be forgotten, but also to be recalled. There are a lot of things which make us smiling when we remember it, and cause tears when we forget it. I truly hope you won't forget everything that means so much for you, moreover if it can shape a smile."

Camus looked at the young man, now with full smile. "I won't," he said.

At that time he realized how blissful he was upon meeting this young man. His former feelings vanished, exchanged by admiration and bless. Degel's words were one of the best things he treasured in his entire life.

Suddenly a thought came to his mind. The more he thought about it, the more it affected him.

He would do anything in order Degel would stay alive just like Dohko and Shion, even though it would sacrifice his own life.

-00-

The two Aquarius made their ways to the family room after the half hour in the library.

"Milo said you'll only stay here for six hours," murmured Camus.

"Yes."

Camus glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's been one a half hours."

"Yes … there are still four a half hours left."

There were _only_ four a half hours left, Camus thought.

When they arrived at the family room they were welcomed by the Goldies's usual ridiculous manners. Now the once-invincible Gold Saints were quarreling just like playgroup students only for the sake of the limited choux …

"My choux!" snarled Kanon to Saga.

"No, Kanon, my choux!"

"The choux is mine, give it to me!" Aphrodite bellowed.

"MY CHOUX OR I'LL HANG YOUR FACE ON MY TEMPLE'S WALL!" screamed everybody-knows-who.

Camus sighed on the scene before entering the room and with Aiolos, tried to calm the Goldies down. Degel was too mesmerized that he kept standing frozenly at the entrance and slowly putting his glasses off, trying to watch the Goldies with barrierless-eyes so he could make him sure this wasn't only in his head.

"Your friends' reincarnations have turned into kindergarten students, Degel," a voice from behind Degel.

Degel turned around, and his eyes widened in excitement seeing his two comrades were standing in front of him, beaming at him welcomely.

"Dohko, Shion," he greeted. "How are you?"

Dohko was laughing with his usual paternal hilarity as he grasped Degel's shoulders, while Shion smiled as he held Degel's back and shook him lightly. "We're young and healthy," answered Shion.

"Once we arrived at the airport, Saga called me and told me there's an ancient guest in Kido's mansion," beamed Dohko. "We were too excited that we almost rented a helicopter to bring us here."

"Helicopter?" asked Degel curiously.

"A vehicle which can fly over the sky," Shion explained.

"Oh, just like plane?"

Dohko and Shion laughed at Degel's innocence—they had never thought their knowledge could surpass him.

"I'm so thankful you managed to survive the Holy War," said Degel then.

The smiles on Dohko and Shion's features ceased on hearing the Aquarius's sincere voice. If only they had had even the smallest chance in the past, they would have gladly sacrificed their life for his sake.

Degel smiled, as if he could read his fellows's minds. "Though human beings are able to turn back the time, they never be able to alter their destiny."

Camus quietly watched him and caught all things he said.

"Only you two survived the Holy War," Degel held Dohko and Shion's shoulders. "It can never be changed."

Camus's eyes were dim. Degel's statement was exactly the same with what he had said to Milo couple hours ago, but right now he doubted its truth. Was it true past is unable to be changed once they traveled there? Was it true that destiny is unable to alter?

In the middle of his fellows' noisy babbles, the formulas he'd ever learnt traveling to his mind. Einstein, wormhole, light speed, quantum theory.

Alternate universe.

There must be some ways, a smart way in order Degel could stay alive post the Holy War, and live in this era just like Dohko and Shion.

He blinked when a red-nailed-forefinger was swinging in front of his eyes.

"Hey," Milo said, smiling. "What are you thinking of?"

Camus shook his head. "No … nothing, just thinking about how to stop their unimportant quarrels …," he murmured, slightly pointing the Gold Saints with the movement of his chin.

Milo chuckled. He then calmed his fellows down and gave some solutions in order all of them could eat those small-numbers choux. Without his awareness, Camus gazed at him.

The Aquarius didn't know how Milo would react on his secret plan.

-00-

**Next:**

"Pope Shion …"

Shion turned his head, a bit surprised as it was Camus, the quietest one, who was calling him.

"Yes, Camus?"

Camus looked downwards for a while before speaking. "How's …," he murmured, then looked up at Shion. "How did Degel die?"

Shion got more bewildered than before. "I thought you have known the story."

"No, I only know very little about it… I need more thorough story. Please, I beg you to tell me the details."

-00-


	5. Chapter 5

**Bonne Nuit**

**Five**

**-00-**

Though the Goldies were so irritable on the solutions Milo gave them, at least they were no longer earsplitting or shouting at each other. The choux were sliced into some parts in order they could taste it fairly, and each only got small slice, small enough to be eaten in one swallow.

"This is your fault, Aiolia, you should have ordered the choux in larger number," Shura glared.

"There were only six choux left in the pastry shop, this is not my fault," growled Aiolia.

"Well, you could buy other than choux then, maybe shortcakes or the like," Kanon replied.

"Saga only asked me to buy choux, not any other pastry," cut Aiolia, replied by Kanon's glare. He looked at his twin in wrath. "_Why_ is it always _you_?"

"Aiolia misunderstood," murmured Saga. "When I asked him to buy choux it didn't mean I didn't allow him to buy any other cakes …"

"Well, you didn't confirm me at all!" Aiolia snarled.

"All of you please shut your mouth up," said Shaka finally. His voice was calm, yet terrifyingly enough to get the Goldies shivered from head to toe. "The good thing of having very small slice of earthly food is we can have a chance to feel one essence of samsara," he continued elegantly. On the sentence the Goldies could only mumbled incoherently.

At the other corner, Dohko, Shion, and Degel were sitting next to each other, turning the pages of big photo albums Dohko has taken from the family room's shelf. Sometimes Degel laughed on some photographs showing the Gold Saints's lunacy. There was a photo in which Kanon was standing behind Deathmask and made a really ugly face to tease him. Another photo showed Aldebaran hugging all Gold Saints with his big hands (Aphrodite was screaming to death).

The last page of the album raised Degel's curiosity. It was Saori's photograph, together with a handsome young man with ocean blue hair who, for unexplainable reason, reminded Degel to someone he knew. A woman he knew.

"Who is this young man?" Degel asked.

Dohko and Shion glanced at each other before answering.

The young man must remind Degel to Seraphina of Bluegaard …

"His name is Julian Solo," Dohko finally explained. "He is a very noble and rich young man who invests some of his wealth in Graud Foundation. Miss Saori often meets him to talk about some business."

_One of them was related to the floods he made to drown this earth._

"I see …," said Degel, still watched Julian's photograph. "It's just … I think he looks like someone I know. A woman I know."

"Really? Who is she?" asked Shion, pretending not to know.

"Seraphina, is her name," Degel smiled slightly. "She was my friend's sister who lived in Bluegaard."

"Your eyes are shining," Dohko beamed. "She must be special."

"Actually …"

"…you fall for her," Shion added.

"Stop that …," murmured Degel, and Shion and Dohko laughed seeing Degel bowed his head, resembling Camus who often looked downwards when he was shy. Only, Camus did it more often.

Degel then took another photo album, opened it, and immediately facing Camus's picture. There, Camus encircled his hand around a blond young man who could be his son.

"Who is this young man?" asked Degel, once again filled with the interests he couldn't explain.

The voice from the door seemed answering his question.

"Sensei!"

Everybody turned his head to see a fifteen years old blond boy entering the house, bringing a neatly-wrapped present. Though his bright blue eyes shone joyfully, his face was pale, and his lips were colorless.

"Hyoga, I've told you not to come," said Camus sternly as he paced to his student. "You're ill, aren't you?"

"It's truly fine," Hyoga beamed. He handed the present to Camus and held his arms warmly. "Your birthday won't happen everyday, I have to come here to celebrate it."

"You want some meals, young man?" asked Aldebaran from the dining room, replied by Hyoga's enthusiastic nods.

Camus watched his student walking to the family room and sat right beside Degel, but was completely unaware of Degel's presence.

It made Camus nearly smiling.

"Hyo—" Aiolia tried to tell Hyoga, but Milo soon prevented him, a grin appeared on his feature. "Just wait and see," he said gleefully.

And Degel never stopped smiling, scrutinizing the Cygnus's feature, from which he couldn't help to shape a certain feature in his mind.

_Unity._

Sensing a pair of eyes was watching him, Hyoga turned his head …

… and went frozen.

…

The blond young man stared at the glasses, the deep blue eyes, the long hair, the cool cosmos which swirled calmly in the air.

Then he turned his head to Camus.

Then to Degel.

Then to Camus again. Then to Degel again. And finally, to the painting of 18th century Gold Saints in the family room.

"Wh—" he stammered, turning to Degel once more.

…

A minute passed.

Suddenly Hyoga's illness worsened, resulted from the shocking view greeting him.

Seconds later, he fell unconscious on the carpet.

-00—

-00-

An hour has passed.

Hyoga twitched in his slumber.

He got a very weird dream. He saw a young man who really resembled his teacher. He tried to discover whom he was … and he found out that the young man was his teacher's incarnation … The oddest thing was, he saw Camus too. Degel and Camus in the same room. _How come…? _

This must be a dream … a patient often dreamt of such peculiar thing, didn't he? But he was happy to see Degel in his dream. He was cool. Well … in literal and figurative ways…

"Hyoga?"

A voice was calling him. _Now I'll wake up and I'll see no Degel …_, he thought, half relieved, but also half resigned.

"Hyoga? You're awake?"

Hyoga knew that voice. _Milo_, he thought. Slowly he opened his eyes, and acknowledged that he was right. Milo was sitting on the left side of his bed, looked relieved. "Thanks God," he said, stroking his own chest. "Probably Camus was right, you'd better stay in Russia for good. The journey must have drained your strength."

Hyoga looked at the Scorpio for a while. Rather than thinking about Milo's suggestion, he thought about something else: Milo was sitting on the left side of his bed, it meant Camus was in his right side. He turned his head …

… to see an angel was smiling at him.

_He is an angel, isn't he__…__?_ Hyoga thought, feeling peaceful just by looking through his blue eyes. And his warm feature, also his smile and the breezy coolness he produced. Hyoga even thought that if he was about to die at present, he only hoped to have this angel stayed by his side, and that was enough.

The angel took his hand, made Hyoga felt like home. The swirl of cool air ran kindly through his skin, his blood, his skin, and finally his heart.

"You're alright?" the angel asked.

Hyoga didn't answer. He had just realized the angel wore glasses. Natassia never told him there was any angel wearing glasses—he got a story to tell to his mother if he arrived in heaven later on…

"Hyoga? Degel is asking you," Milo's voice again.

Hyoga frowned.

_Degel …_?

He looked at the angel once again. It took a whole three minutes to realize that this man wasn't an angel. He was too ill that he began to think about heavenly things …

This man wasn't an angel.

He was … _Degel _…

…

Hyoga was about to collapse again.

"Hey, Hyoga!" Milo soon shook Hyoga's shoulders, keeping him conscious. "Stay awake, will you?"

Hyoga was dizzy for a moment, but he managed to stabilize his condition, and, helped by both Degel and Milo, took a seat position on his bed.

_"How come _…?" was Hyoga's first question.

Degel smiled, and Milo chuckled before explaining the whole thing.

It took very long time for Hyoga to understand, to absorb every information Milo gave and match it with logical thinking.

But once he understood, his bright blue eyes were sparkling, and he looked at Degel with great enthusiasm he'd never felt in his whole life.

"Cool!" Hyoga beamed.

Degel laughed slightly. "Thanks to Sage and Lady Sasha," he said.

"But four hours later you'll leave …," Hyoga's enthusiastic tone reduced to disappointment. "I wish you can stay longer."

"Unfortunately I can't. I must come back whatever happens," his eyes were on Milo. "I'm worried about his condition."

Milo smiled and spread out his hands, showing that he was totally healthy. "He will be fine," he beamed. "I assure you."

Degel laughed once again.

"By the way, where is Camus?" asked Hyoga, eyes traveling to the room.

"He went outside to buy you medicine," said Milo.

"He doesn't need too, I've recovered now," replied Hyoga. Then he turned to Degel and couldn't help to express his wonder. "You really look like my teacher."

"Heaven, Hyoga, he's his incarnation," said Milo in depress.

"I know; I just can't help saying it."

He started to ask Degel a lot of things, and in return, told him various things about the twentieth century. Talking to Degel was different with talking to Camus; Degel always looked into his eyes when he was speaking, and always replied with one or two sentences. Camus rarely looked into his eyes when he was speaking, and always replied only with one or two words. They had wonderful chat, with Milo adding some funny things which always made both Degel and Hyoga laughing merrily.

In the middle of their chat, Camus returned. He was about to enter Hyoga's room, but he stopped at the door seeing the three's wonderful moment.

He watched them talking, smiling, laughing. He watched Degel, calm in nature, yet could mingle really well with both his student and his best friend.

Camus smiled. As he gazed on them he knew Degel was truly better than him, that the people he loved most would truly happy in his presence, to look at his warm eyes and bright feature …

The recent Aquarius slowly left the door. Too bad … for he didn't hear the next topic spoken by his incarnation and his closest ones.

"I have talked to Camus," said Degel.

"What do you think about him?" asked Milo, smiling.

"He's … he looks like … me."

Milo and Hyoga laughed together.

"The truth is I feel like I'm talking to myself," Degel continued, now with more serious tone. "Well, he _is_ myself."

"I don't think so. Both of you are different," said Hyoga, scrutinizing Degel for a while, then said, "You're _perfect_."

"I'm not," replied Degel.

"You are," Milo nodded and smile.

"Camus is not," Hyoga looked at the sheet while saying it. "He is too cold and emotionless … Sometimes irritating … Well, _always _irritating. He loves to be alone, reading books in peace, never thinking that the fun things made by the other Gold Saints are necessary to join ... Even if he joins it he always feels bad about it."

Silence for a while before Hyoga continued. "He is incredible in doing a lot of things. He's smart, he's intelligent, talented. But he was rarely smiling, or laughing … he rarely looks into our eyes when we are talking. Looks like our words never have any meaning for him, nothing compared to the philosophy and astronomy books he always reads… The truth is, we always feel unimportant when dealing with him. That's why …," now there was a smile on Hyoga's face, "we're surprised when he mentions something we'd discussed two years before. We're too surprised, because after a very long time he still remembers every single thing, every single unimportant thing we said …"

Silence again. A tranquil one.

"It was when we know we mean something for him … Not just a brat and a reckless young man who only pass by his life with no meaning," said Hyoga in soft voice.

"Being Camus's best friend and student mean one," smiled Milo, a warmth in his tone reminded everyone to the gentle wind of summertime. "Waiting," he continued. "Being his closest one always means waiting. Waiting for his smile, waiting for his laughter, waiting him to look into our eyes, waiting him to recall the words we said …"

Milo gazed at afar, still with warmth in his eyes. "But it is worth to wait. Because in the end, he gives us the things we always long for."

"It makes us really proud of him," Hyoga said. He, the same as Milo, smiled warmly at Degel.

Silence filled the air again, longer than before. All seemed lost in their own thoughts, drowned in the heartwarming atmosphere of the room.

Then Degel held Hyoga's shoulders, gazed on both him and Milo. He smiled, a smile full of warmth, a smile that Hyoga and Milo would always remembered even after one hundred years have passed. And the next words he said made another inerasable footprint in their hearts.

"I'm proud of him too," he whispered.

-00-

-00—

Meanwhile, in the other part of the mansion …

"Pope Shion …"

Shion, who was in the kitchen to take a bottle of fruit juice, was surprised as it was Camus, the quietest one, who called him.

"Yes, Camus?"

Camus looked downwards for a while before speaking.

"How's …," he murmured, then looked up at Shion. "How did Degel die?"

…

Now Shion was more bewildered than before. It wasn't included in the things he predicted would be said by Camus. "I thought you have known the story."

"No, I only know very little about it… I need more thorough story," Camus said.

Was it sadness in his eyes?

"Please … I beg you to tell me the details."

-00-

**Continued in the sixth chapter**

-00-


	6. Chapter 6

**Bonne Nuit**

**Six**

**-00-**

The Pope didn't know why Camus suddenly wanted to hear the tale, but he told him anyway, although the remembrance of the 18th century Holy War really wasn't his favorite topic.

"Well …," said Shion slowly, giving Camus a sign to sit in front of him. "I ensure you that Degel passed away in a very honorable way, Camus… He sacrificed himself to protect Bluegaard, ended freezing himself and rested next to the woman he loved. That's all I know, since I didn't watch the whole things in the 18th century Holy War. I heard the tale from the witness from Bluegaard, and believe me, it made me and Dohko broken all the time," Shion looked at the floor. "Now that he's time-traveling to 20th century we want him to stay here, but we know it'll be too impossible. We can never change the thing that's already happened—no matter how hard we try to change the past, it'll always stay the same: Degel would die in the Holy War."

Camus wanted to say a word, but finally he decided not to. Shion caught his gesture. "What is it, Camus?" he asked.

The Aquarius bowed his head. "I just think—"

"Degel!" Shion suddenly greeted loudly, his eyes were directed to where Degel has just arrived. Apparently Shion raised his voice to give Camus a sign to stop talking, so that Degel wouldn't hear anything he wasn't allowed to know. Miss Saori has called both him and Dohko, and begged them not to tell Degel about the details of his future, particularly his death. "Although Degel has known he will die in the Holy War, please don't tell him everything …," Saori said. "It's just not fair to tell him something he hasn't known."

"I'm sorry, am I disturbing?" Degel asked. "I was about to get a glass of water."

"No, of course not. Go ahead," said Shion. He stood up, glanced at Camus for a while as if saying "Please, don't tell him the details of his death", then exited the kitchen.

Degel looked at Camus after Shion left.

"Hyoga was waiting for you, but he's sleeping now. I thought you were still buying medicine."

"I'm home," murmured Camus.

Degel nodded. As he stepped slowly to the pantry, he took his glasses off, then cleaned its dewy lens with the end of his shirt.

"Degel," Camus said after moments. Mentioning his incarnation's name really brought a weird sensation.

"Yes?" replied Degel, amazed, since this is the first time he heard Camus mentioning his name.

"I …," Camus murmured. "I wonder if …," he stopped for a moment, then looked at Degel with strange expression. "You don't need to take part in the Holy War, Degel."

…

"_What_?" asked Degel after he managed to talk.

Did he hear his reincarnation forbade him joining the Holy War …? His _reincarnation_?

"You don't have to take part in the Holy War," said Camus as he stood up, his voice firmer.

Degel put his glasses on the pantry. After he made sure Camus wasn't joking (after all Camus didn't have any talent of joking), he asked, "And what makes you suddenly asking an Aquarius saintto flee from the Holy War?"

"This is for your own good. You can live longer just like Dohko and Shion," Camus replied. He kept going even when Degel's cosmos began to fill the air. It wasn't the cool and calming swirl which reminded Camus to the winter in West Europe: it was cold, too cold, just resembled the chill of Russian territory.

"The conversation is over," said Degel, exiting the kitchen. Felt like he was facing an anti-climax …

He had told Milo and Hyoga he was really proud of his reincarnation, but now … Camus's insane idea really forced him to think the otherwise …

Camus rested his hand on his forehead, breathing in anguish. This wouldn't work … but he had to try.

And the next minutes was full of his efforts to persuade Degel not to join the Holy War.

"You think about it," said Camus when Degel was occupying the library for the second time. "You can live longer, no one will be objected about—"

"I'm not such a coward," said Degel shortly as he returned the book he formerly read, then exited the library. Camus soon followed him. "Nobody'll say it's a cowardice thing—"

"Running away when all people are sacrificing their life for the righteous is the most hideous thing, Camus, how come you don't understand it?" Degel asked as he turned around so sudden that Camus almost hit him.

"Nothing's horrible if it's done for the sake of your future and the people's—imagine the things you can do, Degel, you can continue living as Dohko and Shion to make this world a better place—"

"Camus, Camus…," Degel cut, now with resignation. "Future is not the part of my life, it has been yours and your friends', see? My destiny can never be changed, I will die in the Holy War, that's why, no matter how hard I try, there will be no use. There will always be something which prevents me to run away. You know what determinism is, don't you?"

Camus took a deep breath. This is the biggest obstacle … "Yes…"

"Tell me what it is," Degel demanded.

Camus looked at somewhere else. "Human has no control towards their actions because they are determined by their surroundings or something more powerful …"

"Exactly," Degel looked at Camus for a while before turning around to leave him once more.

"But I don't believe in determinism," Camus followed him. _I used to. But now that I see you time traveling here, I'm no longer believe in it._

"What do you believe in, Camus …?"

"Human always has free will that'll shape his future—for example, I can leave this house right now with the consequences that I won't get if I choose not to leave this house. Anything depends on our will, Degel—"

"Such theory is true if we're talking about the _future_, because in the future determinism and free will are in balance—we have some chance to change the future by the will we have in our _presents_. But free will doesn't belong to the _past_, Camus. _I _am your past. I've _already_ happened, and no willpower can change it—"

"You _are_ my past, but when you travel back to18th century, you'll be in your present and you'll have free will to shape your own future, Degel. You can cancel your involvement in the Holy War, and an alternate universe will emerge."

"Alternate universe?" now Degel looked at Camus blankly. "You mean the universe that will happen if I succeed running away from the Holy War?"

"Yes."

"Let's imagine such alternate universe exists: do you think what's gonna happen to _you_ if I didn't join the Holy War and stayed alive as Dohko and Shion until my next 200 years?"

Silence.

Camus gazed at the floor for some moments, then looking at Degel again.

"If you stayed alive just like Dohko and Shion…Aquarius Camus wouldn't exist," he answered quietly. "Because Aquarius Degel didn't reincarnate."

Degel nodded.

Silence again. Degel gazed at the ceilings for a while, then vainly stared at his surroundings. He has just realized they were in the kitchen again, his glasses still perched quietly on the pantry. He approached it to take it back.

"But it's fine by me …," said Camus then, almost whispering.

Degel slowly stopped walking.

"Actually that is my purpose," Camus continued. "To let you live and to make myself disappear …"

"Why?" Degel rested his hand on his hip. His eyes were gazing at the ceilings again.

Camus took a deep breath, hoping his heart would turn into stone so he wouldn't feel the unbearable pain which stabbing his chest.

He kept silent for a moment, recognizing the coldness which got stronger and stronger. Below ten … Below thirty … Below seventy… Degel's cosmos was too frightening.

"You are better than me," said Camus finally. "I don't belong here. I've felt this way for a long time. I can never be a good teacher for Hyoga, I can never be a good friend for Milo," he bowed his head. "I've hurt them too much. I can't give them the warmth they always need. I can't give it to my student or my best friend or anyone … But you … you can do it. You're not a glacier as I am and you … you're much better than me …"

…

Below two hundred. All things in the kitchen have frozen right now.

Degel turned around, looking at Camus.

"Come here, Camus," he said calmly.

Camus didn't understand why Degel suddenly wanted him to get closer, but he stepped at him anyway …

And Degel immediately hit his face so hard that Camus thrown backwards and fell devastatingly into someone's arms, someone who has just entered the kitchen and caught him in reflex.

Milo.

"Degel, what are you doing?" snapped Milo in mixture of shock and anger. He was about to snap again, but he was startled to see thick hatred in Degel's blue eyes …

There was no warmth now, no kindness, no twinkle … All Milo saw was only …

Ice.

"I can't believe I reincarnated into a coward …," answered Degel, very cold that the temperature once again dropped drastically.

Minus two hundred seventy two.

Camus saw that Degel tried hard in order it wouldn't drop even a half centigrade more, or spread to the rooms outside the kitchen, because if it did, not only this house would turn into frost, but also the beings inside.

"Leave us alone, Milo …," said Camus as he wiped the blood coming from his mouth. "Degel's right …"

"What's happening here?" Milo insisted.

"Leave us now," Camus replied harshly.

Milo stared at his best friend, then at Degel, and finally stepped out with deep frown and million questions he could never answer.

The two Aquarius still stared at each other, accompanied by severe coldness which still triumphed over them. But some moments later Degel's expression changed, the way Camus saw on someone who has just woke up from hypnosis.

Degel's eyes were softer, even mournful, looking at his hand in remorse. The hand he used to hit Camus was a bit shaking, the indication that he truly regretted what he had done. At the same moment, the temperature steadily increased.

"You don't have to regret it," Camus whispered after the excruciating stillness. "You're completely right …"

"I'm not saying I'm wrong," replied Degel.

Camus gazed on the floor.

"How come you want to end your life just because you don't believe in yourself, Camus…?" Degel asked, his voice was thick with sadness. "How come you look down on yourself that bad?"

"It's the way I am, I've told you I can never be—"

"What? A warm teacher? A good friend? So? You're the only one they want, not anybody else, not me, nobody. You listen to me," Degel stepped at Camus and held his arms firmly. "Are they objected on your coldness, Camus?"

"Yes," Camus answered, trying so hard to sweep away the pain in his throat. "I can see it."

"And did they ever leave you for that?"

"No, but—"

"Do they hate you? Do they curse you or throw repulsion on you?"

"No, but I—"

"Do they want to be apart from you?"

"The truth is, they always understand me and I can never do anything to make them happy—"

"Did they ever tell you they were unhappy?"

Camus closed his eyes. His heart was aching, his throat started asking for fresh air …

"No…," he whispered. "From the bottom of their hearts they always say they're happy … but they deserve to get better."

"Do they want the better one?" Degel asked again, his voice was full of concern that Camus felt like he was talking to his elder brother.

"Camus?" Degel repeated again when Camus didn't answer. "Do they want somebody else …?"

Camus closed his eyes again, then shook his head after quite long time.

"No," he whispered.

Degel nodded. "No … Because they only want you …," he said softly. His eyes finally filled with warmth, the eyes which always reminded Camus of home, of the kindness produced by the fireplace to sooth the fierceness of rainstorm.

"There are a lot of people in this world who sacrifice all wealth and power to get lights in their life, Camus. You've had those lights. Don't ever leave them. Don't ever ask anybody else to keep them, because they are the candles which can only be saved by certain chandelier, and the chandelier is you …"

Chandelier …

Camus repeated the word over and over again in his mind. Chandelier. Degel referred him as a chandelier. Not glacier, not ice, not stalactite … but chandelier, a home for candles and lights, the place in which they could stay and survive.

"I'm sorry," Camus whispered. His tears voluntarily fell when Degel embraced him briefly. Now he realized he wanted Degel to stay alive not only because his own sake, but also for Degel's. It wasn't fair … a man so intelligent, a man so honorable, died because of his own technique.

It just wasn't fair …

"Forgive me too …," Degel said as he slowly clapped Camus's back. He smiled warmly as he released his embrace. The coldness in the kitchen has disappeared. "We'd better return to the family room. Maybe they've ordered another choux …."

Camus laughed slightly, so did Degel.

"You go ahead. I guess I'll stay here for a moment…," said Camus, sitting on the chair and swept away the tears which were still glistened—he didn't want his fellows looking at his swollen eyes.

"Then … maybe it won't be bad if I'll stay here as well, for a minute or so," Degel sat at Camus's opposite.

Camus smiled as Degel clapped his shoulders.

They didn't know Milo was standing outside, leaning against the wall.

He heard all their conversation and thought about it for a very long time …

Which made his heart hurt all the time …

-00-

**Continued in chapter seven.**

-00-


	7. Chapter 7

**Bonne Nuit**

**Seven**

**-00-**

An hour and a half have passed. He sat at the corner of the family room, leaning against the wall.

The glasses were in his hand. His pair of blue orbs were gazing afar, meeting the landscape he dearly admired, the white landscape full of glacier and snow.

There he saw a woman laughing happily, spreading her hands as if she longed to embrace the white land to keep it safely inside her arms. Her silver long hair danced beautifully in the midst of the snow …

He longed to see her … he cherished her, even though he never had any chance to tell her.

He loved her, so dear … everlastingly.

As minutes went by, the shadow of the white landscape and the woman he loved gradually vanished, exchanged by various colour of hairs whose owners were, once again, gossiping their goddess.

"Too rich …," growled Deathmask. "If she didn't have those two hundred companies to be taken care of, she would have a lot of spare time to spend in this mansion, wouldn't she?"

"My dear Masky," said Aphrodite elegantly as he polished his face with his newly-bought Maybelinne powder. "Just admit it, you always long for Miss Saori's presence."

"Who said that?" snarled Deathmask, though his face immediately went red as plum. "Why should I long for her?"

"Because deep in your heart you adore her just the way we do."

Deathmask was so ready to kick his best friend to death. "I don't!"

"You do!" said Aphrodite stubbornly.

"I don't!"

"Yes you do, Masky!"

"I don't! Give the powder to me!"

"Why? Wanna use it to polish your face?"

"I want to throw it into the fireplace, damnit!"

"Speaking of Miss Saori _again_," said Aiolia, interfering to prevent 1000 years war. "Anybody has any idea why she acted strange several weeks ago? When she suddenly forgot our names and when she looked more elegant? I'm sorry I speak about it again, but it really screws me up," he looked at Milo, demanding an answer.

But Milo only gazed outside the window.

He became quiet since returning from the kitchen. Sometimes he glanced at Camus who was standing absentmindedly at the garden, but when Camus glanced back, the blue haired young man immediately turned away again, choosing to look at anything but him.

Camus closed his eyes … He knew why Milo acted that way; he must have heard all things he and Degel had said.

Back then, when Degel returned to the family room, Camus didn't follow him—instead he went to the garden to seize the windblows. And to avoid Milo. And his fellows, in order they couldn't see his red and swollen eyes.

"When it was?" asked Dohko and Shion almost at once, reacting to Aiolia's question.

"About couple weeks ago … oh, of course both of you didn't know," said Aiolos. "You were in Rozan."

"She returned from Olympus Mountain before schedules, and suddenly she forgot our names and all things about us. She then watched conscientiously everytime we called each other's names—that was when she figured out," Shaka said thoughtfully.

The Virgo cupped his chin … thinking …

… and finally realized something …

He opened his eyes a bit, automatically looked at Degel, who smiled at him and nodded slightly.

"Maybe Miss Saori only wanted to have some fun," murmured Kanon, who was playing Lego with his twin—nothing else was interesting enough to be played to kill the time. Nothing interesting to watch, the food has run out as well.

"Yes, Miss Saori wanted to have some fun," Saga replied unfocusedly.

"It wasn't Miss Saori," Degel said softly, made all heads raised and turned to him.

_"__What__?"_

"The lady whom you said forgetting your names and looked ancient in appearance … it wasn't Miss Saori," Degel repeated. "It was Lady Sasha."

…

Seemed like the statement had cursed the Goldies into stone.

Shaka was smiling though, as he has comprehended earlier than his fellows. He has tried to intensely memorize "Saori's" odd behaviors couple weeks ago—her _ancient_ manner, her appearance, even the colour of her hair … and he finally pulled a conclusion: the young woman wasn't Saori, but _somebody else_ who really looked like her.

"How did you know …?" asked Shion as he stared blankly at his Aquarius fellow.

Degel gazed at the floor. "I wondered how Lady Sasha discovered my reincarnation's name, and also hers," he said. "When I asked her, she and Sage only looked at each other and smiled. But I started to understand when Aiolia told the tale—about "Miss Saori" returned from Olympus Mountain before schedules and suddenly forgot all of your names. She didn't forget your names—she _didn't know_ your names. She was Lady Sasha, not Miss Saori … Lady Sasha wanted to meet you all, and tried to see the condition in 20th century before sending me here."

The Goldies looked at each other, amazed.

"I remember …," Mu smiled warmly. "…after visiting us for about six hours, she said she had to come back to Olympus mountain. She was crying when bidding us farewell … Now I understand what she meant by Olympus mountain was not _really_ Olympus Mountain …"

"And several days later, Miss Saori visited Kido's mansion again," said Aiolia enthusiastically. "And we saw that she was no longer ancient and strange … She was the real Miss Saori. So the lady who visited us before the real Miss Saori wasn't Miss Saori at all—"

"So confusing …," said Aphrodite in frustration.

"—but it was Lady Sasha …" Aiolia continued. "Crap …"

"Stop swearing, Aiolia," snarled Aiolos.

"Sorry bro … I mean … cool …," said Aiolia again, his eyes were sparkling. "I wish I could time-travelling like that … I wonder how Regulus looks like …"

"He looks like you, but younger," smiled Degel.

"How is Kardia?" Milo finally spoke.

Everybody turned their heads on him. Milo hadn't said any word since he returned from the kitchen, the reason why his voice really attracted them. His eyes were still the same as before though: heavy with sadness and disappointment.

"Kardia is so reckless in nature," said Degel, smiling. "He's a bit different than you, Milo. But I can see the deepest part of his heart: he is a faithful warrior and saint who will sacrifice everything to fight against the malevolence," Degel looked at the floor again. "I see him as the closest friend I have. We have different personality, but we're able to get along really well with each other … though I don't think he sees me the way I see him. I don't think he refers me as his best friend or something like that."

"Well I think he always referred you as his best friend," Kanon interfered, "… because when he was about to die, he—OUCH!" Kanon suddenly yelled very loud. Saga stepped on his feet so hard.

But it was too late. Degel heard it, and failed to hide his curiousity. "He what?" he asked.

The Goldies looked at each other again, now with uneasiness …

This has crossed the line; they had swore they wouldn't reveal any secrets related to Degel's future, or the other 18th century Gold Saints', but Kanon ruined it all.

"You're so idiot, you know," Saga snapped in low voice so that Degel couldn't hear it. It didn't work—Degel still could hear him.

"I'm sorry," whispered Kanon, full of remorse. "I'm so sorry … I didn't mean …"

"When Kardia was about to die … what?" Degel asked again. Though he knew this wasn't allowed, that he had no right to apprehend the things which occurred in his or Kardia's future, he wanted to know everything Kanon was trying to say. It was about the one he considered as his closest friend, the one whom he healed everyday.

Dohko clapped Degel's shoulder and decided to tell him the truth. It was only a single fact about Kardia; besides both Dohko and Shion went tired and guilty to keep all secrets … if they were in Degel's position, they would be frustrated to be the only one who didn't know anything.

"When Kardia was about to die," said Dohko quietly, "you were the only person he was thinking of. When Kardia was about to die … the only name which occurred in his heart, also his mind … was yours. Degel."

Degel didn't say any word. Only looked at Dohko with vacant look.

"The flashes of past-life sometimes appeared in the Gold Saints's dreams," Shion murmured. "Believe it or not, Shaka ever dreamt about Asmita. Aphrodite ever dreamt about Albafica, Camus ever dreamt about _you_. And Milo ever dreamt about Kardia, one of his dreams was related to the event before Kardia's death. Milo told us everything about it."

"I have to tell somebody," Milo smiled. "The dream made me scared … It was as if I experienced it myself … Well … though Kardia was indeed _myself_ in the past … but …"

Milo didn't continue when he saw a tear fell from Degel's eyes …

…

Silence again. Everybody looked at Degel solemnly… Especially Kanon, who felt guilty to turn this should-be-cheerful moment to the sad one.

Degel bowed his head and closed his eyes. He was the one who lifted Camus up back then … the one bestowing encouraging words which made Camus rose again. But still … he was only a human who couldn't help to prevent his own grief, especially when it dealt with his friendship with Kardia.

So the one whom he thought was reckless, was careless, addicted to fight, whom he thought never considered him as his friend, was thinking about him when he was about to die …

"I'm sorry, this is really not the time to cry …," Degel wiped away his tears and tried to laugh slightly afterwards.

"You're right, there are only two hours left," said Milo as he approached Degel, smiling at him and grasping his arms firmly.

Degel nodded, although he failed to hold back his pain again when looking at Milo.

"Oh no … there are only two hours left …," said Aiolia in horror. "You only have two hours left, Degel, we've got to have fun now!"

"Yes, this is Camus's birthday after all!" Kanon cheered. "Why don't we do something entertaining? Maybe we can go to Tokyo Dome to ride a roller-coaster—"

"Stop it, Kanon, Degel's only got two hours," snarled Saga, obviously still mad in Kanon's carelessness.

"Where's Camus? He must have some ideas to celebrate his birthday!" said Mu cheerfully.

"This is Degel's birthday too," smiled Dohko. "Degel should have an idea, shouldn't he?"

"What's your idea, Degel?" the Goldies asked in enthusiasm.

"What about…," Degel was thinking for a while, then said, "…a writing contest?"

…

The Goldies' smiles vanished, as if they were suddenly hit by baseball stick.

"I thought I said we've got to have _fun_…?" asked Aiolia as he looked at Kanon, but Kanon only shrugged perplexedly.

"Anybody agrees?" asked Shion then.

Nobody agreed.

"I do," came a calm voice from the door.

Camus has entered the house, smiled slightly at Degel. He then gazed at Milo, who only looked at him briefly.

"Then let's start," Degel said enthusiastically.

The Goldies sighed … but since this was Degel and Camus's birthday they did nothing except accepting Degel's idea, though it wasn't a fun idea at all. Only several of them had writing talents, and even those who had the talents were shy to show their works, moreover to the most intelligent Gold Saint of all.

"I wish it was my incarnation who came visiting this house…," grumbled Deathmask. At the same time the phone in the family room rang. Mu answered it. "At least he must have the same hobbies as me…," Deathmask continued.

"I don't think Manigoldo likes playing with people's corpse, Masky," replied Aphrodite flatly. He pulled a piece of paper, a pen, and started to write.

"What are you doing?" asked Deathmask, frowning.

"He asked us to write, didn't he?" Aphrodite asked back.

"What do you want to write?"

"A short story, I guess."

Deathmask laughed in glee. "Do you think _you_ can write a short story?"

Aphrodite smiled mischievously, causing Deathmask's laughter ceased.

"You have no idea," said Aphrodite then.

Meanwhile, in another corner, Mu was speaking in the phone. "Very well, Miss Saori … wait a second … Kanon?" he called Kanon. "Miss Saori is looking for you."

Kanon immediately approached Mu, received the phone, and put it on his ear, while Mu returned to gather with his friends who had had pieces of paper in front of them.

"Yes, my lady?" Kanon greeted. He listened for a while, then frowned. "You have something to do until tomorrow?" he asked. "Then … who will send Degel back to the eighteenth century? He's only got two hours left."

Kanon listened again …

…and his eyes widened in shock.

"_What_?" he gasped, with a tone that indicated Saori has gone crazy. "But … what if Degel knows whom _he_ was …? I mean, _he_ has the connection with—"

Kanon stopped when Saori cut his sentence. He listened again, then sighed. "Miss Saori, you can't just believe in—I mean, _he_ is really able to delude us and send Degel to the Stone Age or something ..."

Kanon listened again, went silent for quite long time.

Finally he nodded in relinquishment after glancing at Degel.

"Alright, my lady … I'll do it …," he murmured.

When Saori has ended the conversation, Kanon immediately did her order. He called somebody.

Somebody who lived by the sea of Greece.

Kanon took a deep breath as he heard a cold greeting from the phone.

"Hello, lord Julian," Kanon greeted back.

-00-

**To be Continued**

-00-


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Finally… though it's still eighth chapter T-T. Thanks for all the reviews, especially those who asked me to continue this fic, thank you so much…. I never meant to discontinue because all storyline and the endings had been in my head, but yeah … I need to hiatus … only I never thought it would be this long T-T. And for one of the reviewers, thank you so much for reminding me … I believe that Camus indeed can produce Absolute Zero (I really want to make a fic in which he casts one :D); the thing is he never faces any condition which forces him to, and because he really cares about his student.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Degel and the Gold Saints.

**Bonne Nuit**

**Eight**

**-00-**

Even though Kanon had tried to concentrate on his pen and paper, he still couldn't write even a single word. He gave up when he couldn't take in anymore, then fiercely tugged Saga's hand and brought him to the corner of the room.

"What are you doing, Kanon?" asked Saga in annoyance. "I've got one page."

"What's you're writing anyway …?"

"A story about a 14 years old boy who shouted at his brother from the jail he occupied."

Kanon blinked. Why was Saga's story so familiar …?

"Listen," Kanon whispered so the others wouldn't hear him. "Poseidon."

"What, he asked you to wash his shoes?"

"I've asked Poseidon to return Degel to eighteenth century."

Saga's urge to punch his brother's face was never this huge.

"You've asked Poseidon _WHAT_?"

"Miss Saori's order …"

"But why?"

When Kanon told him everything Saga's eyebrows were travelling further and further to his forehead.

"You know," Kanon nodded impressively. "I think Miss Saori is going insane."

"But maybe she suggests the right thing—she trusts Poseidon—"

"Stop defending her, d'you think what'll happen to Degel if Poseidon sent him to Jurassic Park instead of eighteenth century?" snarled Kanon quietly.

"Degel will be very happy," murmured Saga. "He will befriend the T-rex and doing a lot of research about them …"

"Saga …"

"I know, I know this is not good," sighed Saga. "But Miss Saori trusts Poseidon. And what is it with you, Kanon? You always say Poseidon is not a cruel master and you get much salary from your part time job as his chauffeur."

"You don't know him," said Kanon. "Lord Julian Solo detests all Gold Saints—eighteenth century or twentieth century—and he will be very glad to get the chance to play on them …"

"Poseidon—"

"Yes, you can write about Poseidon, Saga and Kanon, now please continue writing," Degel suddenly passed them as he wandered throughout the family room to check the Goldies's writings. The twins wondered whether he heard all things they spoke about, but judging from Degel's calm countenance they decided he didn't know.

"Come on," said Saga. He was about to return to his writing, but Kanon tugged him once more. "Don't we have another way?" he asked desperately.

"I'm afraid we don't," murmured Saga. His eyes were on Degel, then switched to his twin again. "We don't have time machine or power or light speed or anything, so if Miss Saori said this is the only way, then this is," his sentence implied the end of the conversation, and Kanon took a deep breath as Saga returned to his place and continued his work, seemed totally unworried about the possibility Degel would get lost in T-rex era. Mumbling incoherently, Kanon sat beside him and once again tried to fill in his empty paper.

"Why you're so calm about this?" asked Kanon quietly.

"What else should I do, screaming and yelling about how unfair this is? I trust Miss Saori and I don't think Poseidon will do Degel any harm," said Saga firmly. "If you really listened to Shion and Dohko's story about how his fellows died, you will understand."

Kanon was startled, looked at his brother for a while, then nodded slowly once he understood.

He didn't start any topic again about Poseidon and began to spill his ink on his paper.

The Gold Saints were exactly like students who did their teacher's command—those who couldn't write sometimes took a peak to those who had got two pages. DM many times tried to imitate Aphrodite's work, but he gave up when Aphro threatened to write Kido's mansion 129th rule: Deathmask is a cheater.

Milo sat on the chair near the window, looked thoughtful. Sometimes Camus watched his progress from afar and found that Milo has got three pages—Camus wondered what he was writing.

He couldn't help to smile when watching the others' various expression; Shura yawned; Shaka sometimes meditated in the middle of the work, as if he could produce 100 pages only by meditating; Aphro looked serious, so did Aiolos, Mu, and Aldebaran; Aiolia never stopped scratching his head; Saga and Kanon sometimes discussed things.

Then Camus took a look at Degel, who was now sitting near the other window and gazed outside almost solemnly.

But as the Goldies collected their works in his hand, his eyes shone behind his glasses, looking at the papers as if they were treasures.

"Well, now let's read it," said Degel, watching the Goldies who stood nervously in front of him.

"Will the winner get a present?" asked Mu, and everybody saw him with since-when-Mu-cares-about-prizes look.

"You're right," Degel put off his glasses and smiled as he showed it to his juniors. "The winner gets this glasses."

Their eyes widened and Shura cursed, "Crap … If I knew the prize would be such remarkable artifact I would write better thing …"

"Alright, let's read the first writing," said Degel. He picked the paper randomly and began to read.

"_My name is Shura. My hobby is chopping beef._"

"Hahahahaha," laughter followed. Shura desperately searched for a place to hide, though Kanon and Aiolia kept lightly hitting his head in amusement.

"_Gender, male_," Degel continued. "_Born in Spain. Favorite quotation: practice makes perfect. _That's it."

"Well, I think Shura has a talent to make autobiographical book," Kanon nodded in the middle of the laughters.

"I can't write," grumbled Shura.

When the laughter ceased, Degel picked another paper. "And the second one is …"

The others looked at him seriously just like a cinema spectators who waited for the most epic scene.

"_I was lost in a dream_," Degel read.

_._

_Trapped and imprisoned and cursed. With an arrow in my chest. With a pain in my throat._

_Dying, was what I felt._

_Die, was what I wanted._

_._

_I was lost in a dream._

_Banished and exiled and shattered. With a useless bow. Without a deadly blow._

_Dying, was what I felt._

_Die, was what I wanted._

_._

_Then you came to me_

_Reminded me of the fragrance of lilac tree_

_You came to me_

_Caused my tears fell when you bestowed your love_

_Your embrace _

_Your trust_

_._

_And you came to me_

_Reminded me of the fragrance of lilac tree_

_You came to me_

_Released me from the nightmare with your love_

_Your embrace _

_Your trust_

_._

_I am free of the dream._

_Saved and cherished and treasured. With a bliss in my heart. With an arrow of love._

_Alive, is what I feel._

_Live, is what I want._

_._

"Written by Sagittarius Aiolos," Degel smiled in warmth and looked at Aiolos, who only gazed downwards with a slight smile.

Even after five minutes the Goldies were unable to talk.

"By Athena," Saga marched at Aiolos and shook his body in astonishment. "Why didn't you tell me you can write poetry?"

"Why didn't you teach me, bro?" Aiolia demanded. "If you told me since a long time ago I will ask your help everytime I send Marin a love letter …"

"I didn't know you'll like my work," said Aiolos shyly. "It's the thing appeared in my dream …"

"Very good," smiled Degel, re-read the poetry once again.

"Degel, was Sagittarius Sisyphus in love with Lady Sasha?" asked Aiolia, suddenly interested.

"For my mask's sake!" barked Deathmask. "What's the relation between that silly thing with anything?"

"Don't listen to him, Aio," said Aphrodite causally. "He is irritated because the only thing he loves is only his stinky temple."

While Aphro and Deathmask quarreled about which one was worse—Cancer stinky temple or Pisces sweet-smelling yet cursed temple—Degel gazed at the Leo and Sagittarius brother.

"How do you know?" asked Degel.

"So it is true?" Aiolis widened his eyes.

"Well … it could be," murmured Degel as he fixed his sitting position. "But human and goddess are not destined to be with each other."

"Just like you and—AARRRGH!" Kanon stopped when he felt a sudden pain on his feet. He was about to curse the one who stepped on him, but he barely completed his swearing when seeing it was Dohko and Shion.

"And they say they are they are the wisest amongst us …,"murmured Shura.

"Please continue, Degel," said Shion calmly as if nothing happened, beside him Kanon whined with massaging his feet.

If Degel saw the weirdness of his fellow's gesture he didn't show it. He randomly picked one of the papers again.

"Okay, this is Aldebaran's."

Aldebaran grinned and the others were excited, even Aphro and Deathmask stopped attempting killing each other.

Degel started. "_Cinnamon Cake. A half pound of—_" he was confused for seconds, but continued anyway. " _… a half pound of sugar … four spoonful of cinnamon powder … a quarter pound of butter … a bowl of chocolate powder …_"

"Hahahahahaha!" The room once again roared with laughter—even Aldebaran himself laughed with holding his stomach. Can't believe that he wrote a cake recipe!

"Oh … oh my goodness," Aiolia wiped his eyes, still giggling. "I'm dying …"

"That's my specialty," laughed Aldebaran. "Writing recipe."

The laughter gradually ceased, but emerged again as they saw Degel laughed, even without a sound.

"Ow, even Degel is laughing!"

"What a contagious laughter it was," murmured Milo, smiling.

Camus nodded, also with his rare smile.

"He looks so happy, doesn't he?" Milo asked without looking at Camus.

"I don't doubt it."

"Then never do anything which makes him punch your nose again."

A sarcastic tone that caused the atmosphere between both of them gloomier, even in the middle of those cheerful blokes.

Camus could sense that Milo was still upset at him, so he chose not to reply and gazed somewhere else instead.

"Alright," said Degel when all of them began to cool down, though he was still smiling and sometimes letting out small laughter. "The next … Aphrodite."

Looked like the Goldies were preparing stamina to laugh again. They were too confidence Aphro's work would be more laughable than Shura's or Aldebaran.

But they frowned when seeing Degel's serious expression. Behind his glasses his eyes continuously travelled from left to right, the way Camus usually did when reading very interesting literary works.

The Goldies were waiting (Aphrodite seemend not to care and preferred concentrating wearing body lotion).

And their eyes widened as Degel looked up, smiled, and said, "Very good, Aphrodite."

"_What?"_ gasping and disbelieved, the Goldies approached Degel and immediately looked at Aphro's story.

It was a very short story about a little girl who had complicated feelings towards her garden: she loved it, yet loathed it at the same time. Almost no dialog in the writing, and there were lots of abbreviation and typos. But the way Aphrodite described the girl's feelings, the metaphors, the language, were enough to get his friends stunned.

"Why you never tell us?" asked Saga in wonder.

"It's the rewriting of my short short story collection," said Aphrodite, still busy with his body lotion.

"Why you never tell us you like writing?"

"You never ask."

Sweatdrops …

"I admit my writings maybe arent's as good as Camus's or Aiolos's," said Aphro. "But you see, it's not bad."

"May I borrow your short short story collection later on?" asked Degel.

The question wouldn't give big impact if it was asked by ordinary person, but it was the most intelligent saint who did, and for the first time in the last six months, Aphro smiled sincerely with beamed face. "Sure."

"Now I'm so depressed …," growled Shura, promised he would revise his work so he wouldn't be the worst.

There was no laughable things again afterwards, except Saga and Kanon's works which were exactly the same, even the typos and the commas and the full stop.

"I swear I didn't cheat," the twins barked.

"Yeah, right," the other laughed.

"Ok, maybe I cheated a bit," growled Kanon. "But I don't have a talent of writing, see … what do you expect?"

"Please disqualify him," Saga growled back. "He could only imitate my work."

Shion and Dhoko wrote very nice essays about eighteen centuries. Shaka wrote poetry which Degel read heartwarmingly.

_A flower blooms, then withers …_

_A star shines and will one day disappear._

_The Earth, the Sun, the Milky Way, and even this great universe ... _

_A day will come when they will die._

_One man's life, when compared to this, is nothing more than the blink of an eye._

_And during this instant, a man is born, laughs, sheds tears, fights, gets injured, feel happiness, sadness, hatred towards people, love towards others ..._

_All this only lasts an instant._

_And in the end, he falls into this deep and eternal slumber called Death ..._

"Shaka has wrote that poetry ten thousand times," smiled Mu. "But it always sounds calming."

"I don't feel calm," mumbled Deathmask.

"Because the thing that you think is calming and poetic is zombie laughter," replied Aphro.

The next was Milo's.

"A song?" asked Degel. The others took a peek on Milo's paper.

"You wrote _music sheets_?" they asked puzzlingly.

"For piano," chuckled Milo. "A very simple piece."

"The title is 'Heartwarming Snow'," said Shaka.

"It's for Degel," Milo said.

"Would you play it?" Degel asked.

Milo approached the piano in the family room and began to perform the piece. A good songwriter he was, but not a very good piano player, for there were often pauses in his playing. But his friends loved the calming tunes he produced. Heartwarming, just like the title.

"Thank you very much," said Degel.

Silence for a while—Degel looked lost in thoughts when picking another papers to read. Sometimes he glanced at the clock—an hour later. An hour later and he would leave all the young men who really had made his day. Particularly his reincarnation and the one who composed him a song.

"This is Mu's," said Degel afterwards. Mu wrote children story, a very cute one which focusing on a little boy (whom the Goldies thought was Kiki), his gradfather (whom they thought was Shion), and their cattles.

Aiolia wrote three poetries that amazed his fellows because they were haiku—very short poetry which consisted 17 syllables, each lines will consisted of 5,7, and 5 syllables—though not very technical.

The first one:

_Young girl with red hair_

_Standing alone in the rain_

_Waiting for her love_

The second one:

_Snows, leaves, sun, flowers_

_The colours of four seasons_

_Blooming in my heart_

The third one:

_Best friends in the room_

_Brothers, teachers, disciples_

_Best things in the world_

"Wooow," everybody suddenly hugged Aiolia and laughed with him. "You and your brother are just alike!"

"Like big brother like little brother!"

"Ah … it's not that good," murmured Aiolia, though he smiled happily.

"Very good, Aiolia," Aiolos clapped his shoulders.

"Indeed very good," smiled Degel.

The next was Deathmask's, and his work was exactly like Shura's: a short autobiography—the difference only DM's was far more narcissistic, as if he had surpassed Zeus.

The last one was the writing all of them been waiting most excitedly: Camus's.

Degel asked the Goldies to read it with him, "So I won't be too subjective," he said.

As expected, the Goldies were totally lost in Camus's story which seemed beyond all of theirs. Then they mentioned a lot of compliments such as 'brilliant', 'touching', 'cool', 'beautiful', until Degel coughed slightly and cut,

"You call this trash 'beautiful'?"

Silence, as if Degel had froze them all.

And Camus never felt this offended.

"_What?_"

"You can write better than this," Degel looked straight into his reincarnation's eyes, quite piercing.

"What do you mean I can write better than this?" asked Camus coldly. "This is my best writing so far."

"But it feels dead," replied Degel.

"But Degel," Saga interfered without offending, "Aphrodite's writing was full of abbreviation, and most of ours didn't follow punctuation rules or writing-technique as well. I think Camus's is the most perfect."

"Honestly I don't care about punctuation or abbreviation," said Degel calmly. "I don't care about technique either; as long as the writing can draw the reader's feelings, I'll give the best score."

"But Camus's writing makes me touched," said Aiolos, frowned.

"Really?" Degel raised his eyebrows. "Which one is more touching, your poetry or Camus's writing?"

All looked at each other.

When they reviewed the two works altogether, they realized Aiolos's poetry had more feelings in it, although Camus had much better technique.

"Technique is not that important," Degel turned around, his back on the Goldies, then he put all the papers on the table. "When you do anything—writing, playing musics, studying, even battling—your feelings will determine the result of your works. I heard from Hyoga that the bronze saints were able to surpass you in 20th century battle. Do you think why it happened? Because they fought with their hearts, not to show their brawns to everybody."

Silence again.

Camus looked at Degel's back, quite understand. But he disagreed with some lines.

"Do you think why you died, Aquarius Degel?" asked Camus.

…

"Because in the Holy War," said Camus after moments, "You used your feelings more than your technique."

Degel was silent, before smiling slightly with eyes gazing at the place the others couldn't reach.

"Then I won't regret it," he said quietly.

…

"Well," Aiolia clapped his hands, trying to cheer up the atmosphere. "I think Degel needs some private time to pick the winner of this contest. Meanwhile we can clean up this …," he stared at the family room which had been flooded by paper, "… paper factory," he finished.

Degel agreed, collecting the Goldies's papers, then left the family room without saying anything.

Camus looked at him coldly, but he blinked as he sensed a clap on his shoulders. Though at first he didn't know who did it, he understood when he caught a glimpse of violet-blue hair passing him.

Meanwhile, in the cleaning-up moment nobody noticed Kanon talking on the phone.

"But lord Julian—" he said, listening for a while. "He only got an hour—can't you just wait for—" he stopped, listening again.

His expression changed into panic. "No, you can't—hello? Hello? Lord Julian? Hello?"

Kanon took a breath again before putting the phone harshly on its place. "Damnit," he murmured.

"What happened?" Saga asked, prepared himself to hear any bad news.

"Poseidon wants us to take Degel to Sanctuary _now_," Kanon growled. "He didn't want to wait any longer. We must arrive in Sanctuary at exactly eight am tomorrow, otherwise Degel would stay in 20th century forever."

The twins exchanged identical stare.

…

"Damnit," now Saga was the one who cursed.

-00-

**To be continued**

-00—

A/N: Shaka's poetry is from Hades chapter Sanctuary (yes, that mournful scene … T-T). Thanks so much for reading :)


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